On the other hand what we have works.

And it does have its advantages â" for example:

Fisheries Protection comes under the people who manage the fisheries, and set the rules that they enforce, rather than being a poor relations within a Law Enforcement agency.

Protection of Oil Rigs is provided by the same assets who provide similar protection to all UK assets rather than there being a separate small CG 'military lite' unit to train and equip.

HM Customs and Excise don't have to call in a separate agency when dealing with maritime smuggling that 'crosses the beach' â" its all one team.

Maritime safety, rule setting, enforcement and accident response are under one organisation.

Rescue is provided by assets that have no Law Enforcement role â" so people don't delay calling for help when the accident they have had is due to breaking the rules. Bear in mind that calling early not only saves live aboard casualties, it means less risky rescues and hence less risk to the rescuer.

Once again - why break something that works? Why, for example, 'Nationalise' the RNLI, loosing all that goodwill and expertise, to provide something that costs the taxpayer more?

BTW â" even if Scotland became independent (Troll?) its likely that the RNLI would continue to provide the Lifeboats, as they do in the Republic of Ireland.

Rick

Ok, this is the REAL face of UK Lifeguards:

A recent rescue:

http://www.rnli.org.uk/rnli_near_you/news/news_detail?articleid=465627

The website:

http://www.rnli.org.uk/what_we_do/sea_and_beach_safety/rnli_lifeguards

One reason for the RNLI being involved:

http://www.rnli.org.uk/rnli_near_you/news/news_detail?articleid=466426 ... the Lifeboats regularly found themselves working with Lifeguards on rescues.

Unlike the Lifeboats many of the Lifeguards are funded on a contract basis. Local Government pays the RNLI to provide them, or at least contributes. In many cases the Lifeguards themselves used to be employed by Local Government. By having the RNLI run the Lifeguards on their beaches the Local Council taps into economies of scale on things like equipment purchasing and backup plus the RNLI's training and expertise.

Rick

The RNLI doesn't WANT government funding - so its less than 'scandalous'.

It did have some government funding to set up the stations on the River Thames after the Marshoness sinking because those were created at government request but those, I believe, are now run from RNLI funds.

The reason, I believe, is that it was difficult to explain 'entirely funded by donations â" except for these 3 stations' and as a result the government cash was causing a net reduction in RNLI income (I have no evidence from this â" it just seems the most logical reason for the funding going away).

The RNLI does, however, receive some 'help in kind' from government bodies in the form of things like being allowed to build stations on council owned land rent free. For example the pier that Tower Lifeboat in London uses was brought from the Metropolitan Police for a nominal sum (IIRC, UKP 1.00).

Rick

The key thing is, it works (as it does in France, Germany and Holland). If it ain't broke, don't try and fix it.

Having local volunteers means that local knowledge is retained, people are following their own career in there 'day job' so leaving a station 'on promotion' isn't an issue.

It also means that stations can exist that any government expenditure review would delete due to the low number of rescues they undertake. The point is that there are locations where a Lifeboat is rarely needed, but when it is its REALLY needed, and FAST.

Whilst a charity the RNLI is very professional, crew are trained to a high standard, in part at a large specialist training centre in Poole, Dorset. The boats are second to none â" most go to the Lifeboat Services of other countries when the RNLI finishes with them. Others end their lives as Pilot Boats.

Rick

Oh, and:

The Coastguard have Emergancy Towing Vessels to pull large ships like Supertankers away from harm.

The Oil Companies have a number of rescue vessels (required by law) to cover the North Sea Oil Rigs.

Yes. The functions carried out by the USCG in the US are covered by a number of agencies in the UK.

Maritime regulations and law: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (of which the Coastguard is part).

Rescue coordination and Traffic Control outside harbour areas: HM Coastguard

Counter Smuggling: HM Customs and Excise

Surface Rescue: The RNLI & Independent Lifeboats

Air Sea Rescue: Coastguard Helicopters, RAF and RN SAR assets.

Cliff Rescue: The Coastguard Auxiliary, volunteers who work for a government agency.

Lighthouses and Bouyage (outside harbours): Trinity House and the Northern Lighthouse board.

This is, BTW, IIRC

Further details about the Humber station:

Its the only station with a fully professional crew. Other stations are either all volunteer (those with only Inshore boat), have one (Mechanic) or two (Coxswain & Mechanic) professionals with the rest of the crew being volunteers (the big All Weather boats) or a largely professional crew supplemented by volunteers (the E Class boats on the River Thames in London).

There are several advantages to using volunteers, one very important one being that its possible to justify having stations that do very few rescues but are there for the rare occasions where someone needs them.

YouTube of the installation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozoA4x5k2Dg

Humber Lifeboat Station at the RNLI website:

http://www.rnli.org.uk/rnli_near_you/north/stations/humbereastyorkshire/?page=2

Humber Lifeboat "Pride of the Humber" - around UKP 2 Million (USD 3 Million) of Fly By Wire All Weather Goodness

http://www.rnli.org.uk/who_we_are/press_centre/photos/photo_detail?articleid=344763

The crews website

http://www.spurnpoint.com/lifeboat.htm

Humber Lifeboat at work

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2WtSPcGpKw

No connection with the RNLI btw, other than they once rescued me and I donate by subscription.