Another Broads Rescue Unit

[Guest ExMemberKingFisher]

Interesting piece in the EDP today, not quite sure where this fits in with all the other services on The Broads.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/environment/new-broads-safety-group-aims-to-provide-back-up-to-emergency-services-1-5178335

 

[LondonRascal]

Good intentions perhaps, but this will need ongoing funding and I would also wonder how much help this may be and the channels through which organisations already liaise would be used to communicate with the BRW.

I presume therefore, anyone can set up shop as such so long as they have the tools. 

As to my opinion, if you have people who are keen to help, have got a boat donated use a of suitable vehicle, perhaps approaching the R.N.L.I would have been a better all round solution.  It might be a case of selling a boat, raising further funds and pooling this together to fund a second RIB for the station not to mention them  gaining 4 willing volunteers.

[Bound2Please]

18 minutes ago, LondonRascal said:

As to my opinion, if you have people who are keen to help, have got a boat donated use a of suitable vehicle, perhaps approaching the R.N.L.I would have been a better all round solution.  It might be a case of selling a boat, raising further funds and pooling this together to fund a second RIB for the station not to mention them  gaining 4 willing volunteers.

Think you have hit the nail on the head there Robin, I'm sure the RNLI, Coastguard, Fire, Ambulance and Police can well do without do gooders, all be it with good intentions getting in the way, of well drilled and trained professionals.  This is just my take in it.

Charlie

[HemsbyPie]

[JennyMorgan]

Spot on, Charlie.

I'm not adverse to neighborhood watch type set ups though. That said those that I know of have all died a death, especially when the sun refused to shine.

[Timbo]

Is it just me? But...I mean, but, I mean, look, I say...erm...I have a bit of a problem with this. 'Water safety, boating incidents, reporting suspicious behaviour'? Cobbled together blue outfits and a dodgy blue ensign on the back of their boat? Is it just me? I mean...impersonating a...impersonating a... Gerry Anderson puppet springs to mind, not so much Thunderbirds as self-appointed Inteferons!  My response if encountered will be of two words of three letters.

[LondonRascal]

Now come on Tim, I was going to counter your argument with some good positive hard facts to show you how serious this new team is. But I failed.

Let us just say their Incident Response vehicle might have some trouble fitting in tools for responding to urm incidents, that is..unless there was an incident needing a train set around a windmill the BRW sure got this one covered!

 

[JennyMorgan]

I'm sure that it is well intended but part from being an ex copper I wonder what qualification or training these good people have? 

Dodgy blue ensign? Probably not in itself but doesn't a boat have a registered British ship before it can fly a defaced ensign and aren't there minimum size restrictions?

It may well prove itself to be a valuable add-on to what we already have but I can't help feeling that as an organisation it's punching well above its weight.

[JennyMorgan]

Apparently it's the ensign of the former British Colony of Hong Kong. Says it all really!

[Timbo]

1 minute ago, JennyMorgan said:

Apparently it's the ensign of the former British Colony of Hong Kong. Says it all really!

Oddly we must have been perusing the same websites JM!

Now then, flying a defunct blue ensign from a boat that is not entitled...

Registration and Measurement.
a) Registration.
The Yacht must be a ship registered under either:
(i) Part I of the Register of British Ships or
(ii) Part III of the Register of British Ships (Small Ships Register)
b) Measurement.
The Yacht must measure not less than:
(i) 2 tons gross if registered under a(i) above
(ii) 7 metres in length overall if registered under a(ii) above 
 

That's a £1000 fine right there. If only there was an organisation dedicated to safety, just the basics...you know, flying government flags off the back of boats without an extant warrant sort of thing...reporting suspicious behaviour...hang on...there is! Thunderbirds are GO!!! 

[Katie]

What authority would they have if an incident occurred? Do they have first responder training? I was a little concerned  that they were searching for a boat that had a passenger on board with chest pains!! Whilst their local knowledge may be invaluable, in an emergency I am unsure as to what assistance they can provide? 

[Guest ExMemberKingFisher]

To be fair, it looks like they could be more useful on Breydon, than The Spirit of Breydon!

[marshman]

Wearing buoyancy aids and ill fitting lifejackets?

I think that it may be a good idea someone has, but executing it to the very high standards necessary, requires lots and lots of training , proper kit and the ability to call for support if required.

Oh and Timbo, that bit about the ensign says it all - agree with PW yet again! Must be getting really old!!!

[HemsbyPie]

Il refrain from commenting on BRW / BSAR... 

 

What I will add is that SAR operations on the Norfolk Broads (National Park ) have been relinquished from the Police to HM Coastguard. HMCG are highly trained, very well equipped and have vast knowledge of the Broads. They also have at their disposal the 3 emergency services, SAR helicopters and of course declared lifeboats (2 of which cover the Broads). 

 

Declared lifeboats (both RNLI and independents) are are audited by HMCG - everything from training schedules & qualifications to maintenance, suitability of equipment, and from risk assessments to SOPs. Then there's the rescue boat code - a 100+ page document covering the requirements of a rescue boat & its crew...

 

Operating a lifeboat takes literally thousands of man hours & costs thousands of every year (not including the brownie points you have to earn from the wife!).

 

[MauriceMynah]

All the above posts say it for me. Well meaning guys who haven't quite got it yet.

[JennyMorgan]

Personally I see this new service as an insult to the existing emergency services.

[Wussername]

A non entity in my view.

[donnygeoff]

just might put one of these on my car

 

hold a hair drier, at the right angle, and catch all of you lot.......

on the spot fine, of say £200....

happy days.....

might catch enough to buy a boat, and then after the success of my land based law enforcement, could take it to the water. buy a flag and boat and catch more of you lot being naughty....

more happy days....

just a quick edit to say...

I will only catch the saily types, just to get them off the rivers to help Gracie.....

[Guest ExMemberKingFisher]

I think the biggest concern is if their fund raising efforts diverts money away from the "proper" rescue services. I'm an offshore member of the RNLI and they tend to be my chosen recipient if I have a few quid spare. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

[JennyMorgan]

An even greater concern is that these people, clearly poorly equipped, are offering themselves as part of the search & rescue infrastructure,  posturing as a government agency with a meaningless blue ensign. Heaven forbid that someone dies as a result. 

[MauriceMynah]

I doubt anyone is likely to "die as a result" but I suspect they will be another "homewatch" assisting the sweeny.

[JennyMorgan]

1 hour ago, MauriceMynah said:

I doubt anyone is likely to "die as a result" but I suspect they will be another "homewatch" assisting the sweeny.

A Broads or River Watch is to be welcomed & I have no problem with that but these good folk have intimated rather more involvement. Should a genuine casualty rely on this service rather than calling the Coast Guard then there is a very real chance that valuable time could be lost, and that would be regrettable.  

[JennyMorgan]

From the new kids on the block themselves:

BRW have contacted me (Sue Hines) to say that those involved currently have such qualifications as qualified RYA helms, search technicians, police search techs, swift water rescue and first flood response, emergency response drivers and some are trainers themselves. Broads Beat, BA and Norfolk Fire Rescue are looking at doing some joint training with BRW and its boat so they can use it in an emergency.

A great pity that their initial press release was such a disaster!

 

[HemsbyPie]

1 minute ago, JennyMorgan said:

From the new kids on the block themselves:

BRW have contacted me (Sue Hines) to say that those involved currently have such qualifications as qualified RYA helms, search technicians, police search techs, swift water rescue and first flood response, emergency response drivers and some are trainers themselves. Broads Beat, BA and Norfolk Fire Rescue are looking at doing some joint training with BRW and its boat so they can use it in an emergency.

A great pity that their initial press release was such a disaster!

 

BB, BA & NFRS already have their own boats.

The real question to ask is if this is a service the emergency services need or want.

[ChrisB]

19 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

From the new kids on the block themselves:

BRW have contacted me (Sue Hines) to say that those involved currently have such qualifications as qualified RYA helms, search technicians, police search techs, swift water rescue and first flood response, emergency response drivers and some are trainers themselves. Broads Beat, BA and Norfolk Fire Rescue are looking at doing some joint training with BRW and its boat so they can use it in an emergency.

A great pity that their initial press release was such a disaster!

 

The "emergency response driving" is I feel somewhat worrying.