Lifeboat rescue
Friday 5 February 2010
A lifeboat rescue team is there to provide help when an accident happens at sea. Find out more about their work.
What’s a lifeboat rescue?
When an accident happens at sea or if a sea vessel and its crewmen and passengers find themselves in distress, lifeboat rescue teams on the nearest coast will be alerted and will come to their aid.
Many of crew members are volunteers who give up their time to help. Crew members include coxswains, mechanics and helmsmans. Find out what they do.
Rescue facts
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) provides 24 hour search and rescue services around the UK.
The organisation had it's busiest year in 2009, helping over 8,000 people in sea-related incidents. Lifeboat rescue teams are not just required for sea accidents. Over in London, the Tower lifeboat team rescued 148 people from the River Thames.
Last year Charlotte Church called her local lifeboat team when her dingy went missing. It was later found at Lavernock Point in Penarth, washed up on the rocks.
On the job
Lifeboat rescuers require a lot of physical and mental strength to make a rescue a success.
Life boat teams
After an emergency call or signal is made, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) coordinates the search and rescue units.
The Coastguard then notifies the lifeboat team by sending a message to each crew member's pager. All crew members wear this pager wherever they go and and they are trained to make it to the lifeboat station as soon as possible.
Once on location the Coastguard will brief the team on the details of the emergency, such as location, how many people are involved and injured and whether anyone needs medical attention.
Once they have all the information the crew plan the rescue. Before heading out to sea, all the crew members will put on protective gear – from waterproof trousers and wellies, to life jackets and helmets. They will also ensure they have important tools such as first aid kits, scramble nets, ropes and tows.
Out at sea
The crew work together to launch the lifeboat as quickly and safely as possible.
When they arrive at the scene, the team and the Coastguard quickly analyse the situation to find the quickest rescue plot. Sometimes the rescue is pretty straight forward, but other times it can be quite dramatic. Either way, the crew need to stay focused and determined to get the job done. Read more about the rescue process.
Become a crew member
Imagine this. Your pager goes off at 4am. There’s an emergency at sea and you’re needed. Could you get out of your bed and face this?
If you reckon you could do it and if you’re 17 years old or older, then you could train to be a crew member? You need to be physically fit and live near a lifeboat station. It’s a major commitment and you may have to provide your services at the drop of a hat. If you’re up for it then contact RNLI.
