Lifeguards have a sinking feeling.

[Jim Brady]

Chris what do you know about this,where were these guys from,dont they know about the soft spots on Crosby beach.
Regards.
Jim.B.

Lifeguards left red-faced as RNLI car sinks on Crosby beach - Liverpool Echo

[Chris Allman]

Dont know where they are from Jim, I would presume they would be local to the area. However judging by some of the RNLI Lifeguards at New Brighton this year, who seemed to want to emulate Baywatch with their shades and quad bike posing, I am not surprised they got stuck. Local knowledge is a must, a must which obviously in this case is sadly lacking. The RNLI has bitterly disappointed and angered me this year with the fiasco at New Brighton Lifeboat Station. 320 years of experience and local knowledge lost and being replaced with hardly any local knowledge and very little experience. The RNLI might be able to train them to save lives, Cox lifeboats, treat casualties, ride quad bikes etc but they cant teach them local knowledge, only time, experience and locally experienced people can do that and it looks like there is very little of any of it on either side of the River Mersey at the present time.

[Jim Brady]

Chris more happenings at New Brighton,is this the new intake.
Regards.
Jim.B.
New Brighton lifeboat tractor left stuck in the Mersey - Liverpool Echo

[Chris Allman]

I dont know for certain Jim if it was new intake, however let us say that in my 20+ years at New Brighton, it happened once, only, in a patch of unknown and newly formed quick sand, after a bad storm. The tractor bogged down, the hatches were locked down and it was completely submerged over a tide. When the tide had gone down, a tractor was brought from Hoylake and coupled with a local tractor to our tractor which was then pulled clear of the sand. Once clear, it was entered and started first time. I notice this one was completely flooded, as in his haste to abandon ship, the driver failed to secure the top hatch, fear, inexperience who knows !!!! I have never known this to happen on a slipway at New Brighton ever and this was on a slipway ! - The Lifeboat is apparently in the Liverpool Marina, off station, until they get another tractor to New Brighton. The RNLI are bound to say that the driver was experienced and competent, the question is though, he may have passed his tractors course, but how long ago and how much further practice / experience has he had and who authorized him to drive it on this occasion. To my mind you cannot drain a Lifeboat Station of experience and then expect things to run OK. The carriage cost about £65,000 and I seem to remember the tractor a Talus MB-4H "Bendy" was in excess of £85,000 so a lot of money kindly donated by the public. The only saving grace being nobody appeared to be injured.

[Chris Allman]

A new petition has been launched HERE following the recent debacle with the New Brighton Lifeboat Launching Tractor - Carriage and Lifeboat in which all the units worth in excess of £400,000 were damaged. The wording of the petition also gives the picture of the sorry state that this once very proud and highly efficient lifeboat station has now fallen into. Please sign the petition and rescue the Station from this sorry state - the RNLI need to understand the strength of feeling against their misguided faith in the local management and the damage that is being done to public support for them, plus of course the danger to the public that the lack of experience and by the look of it skills of what they are calling the crew.

[Jim Brady]

signed Chris.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Captain Kong]

Signed,
Brian

[John F Collier]

Signed Chris, Johnf

[Chris Allman]

Members might like to read the true story of what happened to the crew at New Brighton as told by them and also the efforts of the Local Management and the RNLI to cover up and justify their actions, which have so far resulted in the damage to the Lifeboat, Launching Tractor and Carriage worth together £100, 000s of pounds plus of public donated money and the loss of 320 years of life saving experience. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1229801430376308/.

[Charlie Hannah]

signed Chris. Cheers.