GAFIRS??

[Guest]

This is a straight question with no alterior motive, and is not a TROLL.

Out of interest, I was looking at the RNLI's cover in the Solent area, and I noticed that they have seven stations in that area.

Lymington
Yarmouth
Calshot
Portsmouth
Bembridge
Hayling Island
Selsey

I was interested to know if their service was in some way defficient? That being the reason that GAFIRS was set up?

 

[Helina]

Excuse me but what is RNLI and what is GAFIRS ?
Preferably expect the finnish translation so that it would by any means not be lost in translation.
Thank you in advance. Kiitos Paljon Etukäteen.

 

[Guest]

Royal National Lifeboat Institution = RNLI

Gosport And Fareham Inshore Rescue Service = GAFIRS

Sorry, Don't do Finnish, but I suspect your English is up to the task. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Helina]

Thank you Smiffy,

sometimes the percentidge of capital letters confuses the head of a boy from the country side /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[QuietFlight]

You can also throw in the 4/5 other IOW locations that have lifeboats which are supported by locals with no link to the RNLI.

 

[Guest]

Fine, throw 'em in, but my question still stands? Is the service provided by the RNLI not sufficient for the area?

 

[trouville]

What dose "TROLL" Mean??? This is the second time in two days that ive seen it on the forum???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

 

[BrendanS]

A troll is a post designed to get a heated response.

 

[Twister_Ken]

A heated response is always welcome at this time of year.

 

[Helina]

Do you mean that Trouvilles mail is a troll ? Are you serious !!! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Helina]

What does trouville mean ? Is it latin ?

 

[BrendanS]

eh? I was answering his question

 

[Helina]

Why did you answer his question ? I think you should have answered Smiffys question. Pls stick to the topic. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
A heated response is always welcome at this time of year.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well now, I would much prefer if there was not a heated response, but as I said in my original question, I am curious as to why, with the RNLI's cover in the Solent area, that GAFIRS and alledgedly 4-5 other independant lifeboats are there? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Helina]

excuse me my pour articulation but I'm very much interested to know the translation of trouville pls. Is the word french or latin ? I know it's not finnish. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Oen]

Ken, do you know the 'definition' of a Scottish Chentleman?

 

[Twister_Ken]

A Scottish chentleman is one who owns a bagpipe, but doesn't play it.

 

[Woodlouse]

Do you know the definition of tadpole?















Yup. Slightly Polish.

 

[Guest]

Excuse me, helloooooo? What is it? have I asked a question you just don't like, or can't or wont answer?

I am from N. Devon, and we don't have as far as I know any of these independant lifeboats, although there was one at Clovelly when the RNLI pulled out, but I am not sure whether it is still operating, as there is plenty of cover from RNLI Appledore. So I am just curious, why is there (it seems) a lot of independant rescue services around the Solent, when the RNLI has seven stations there?

 

[Bajansailor]

Dont worry Charlie, everybody else is too pre-occupied going off on tangents about Trolls and Chentelmens.....

I am sure that a GAFIRS volunteer will be along soon, and they can offer a much better explanation than mine, but the way I see it is like this - the GAFIRS have (I think) been going for almost 40 years, and I am sure that when they were first set up, the RNLI coverage around the Solent was nowhere near as comprehensive as it is today.

Also, in those days, the RNLI only had slow double-ended displacement offshore lifeboats, while the fast ILB's were still in the early stages of development.
So I am sure that there was a need back then (and still is now) for an independent volunteer lifeboat at Stokes Bay.

Their nearest RNLI lifeboat would be Portsmouth - all of the others are some distance away, and I think that stations like Selsey and Bembridge only have offshore lifeboats.

The GAFIRS have a clearly defined territory that they operate in - although if they had to, I am sure that they would be more than happy to venture outside of it!

They do not go 'looking for business' - rather, they only go out on a shout if requested to do so by eg the Coastguard at Lee on Solent.
Although I think they will do routine patrols on weekends during the summer, and especially during Cowes Week.

They do not step on anybody elses toes - and the others do not step on theirs - I cant imagine a situation where two independents arrive on the scene of a casualty and start arguing about who got there first..... very often all the independents are over stretched and working flat out when all the lemmings are really excelling themselves out on the water on a nice sunny summer day.

PS - Just digressing slightly, re the Clovelly lifeboat, she was a steel 70' Clyde class (only 3 were built) with a full time live-aboard crew. When she was retired from service her Coxswain (Mike Houchen) became a Trials Cox'n at HQ in Poole, where I had the pleasure of knowing him, and hearing some of his stories about their adventures with the Clovelly boat.