Goodbye Brixham Coastguard

[longjohnsilver]

I've just been on the phone to Brixham CG and they've just heard that they will be closing in March of next year. Approx 25 folks either retiring or redundant, apparently not many wanting to move elsewhere.

Very sad, they are a good bunch and I wish them all well.

 

[Appledore]

Should never be allowed to happen in my opinion. Just look at all the incidents they have been involved in recently.

Always so reassuring to log in with them when off Start Point en route to the Channel Islands, in my 22 footer!

 

[ribrage]

I've just been on the phone to Brixham CG and they've just heard that they will be closing in March of next year. Approx 25 folks either retiring or redundant, apparently not many wanting to move elsewhere.

Very sad, they are a good bunch and I wish them all well.

If thats the case , a sad day for the local boating community all round.

Are we blaming this one on the bankers as well ?

 

[prv]

Are we blaming this one on the bankers as well ?

No - they're claiming it's not a cost-saving move but an improvement.

Unlike the helicopter privatisation, I don't believe them on this one.

Pete

 

[jakeroyd]

Who replaces them , Falmouth or Portland ?

 

[Angele]

... or Falmouth and Portland. More likely, I would have thought.

IIRC, they were just one on the list of several Coastguard centres which were proposed for the axe. Does that mean other centres have also received bad news today?

 

[Billjratt]

Scotland got done over last December, Clyde and Forth gone - Oban had gone previously, so just Stornoway and Belfast on the West Coast.

 

[trapezeartist]

As I understand it, all the MRCCs will effectively be centralised. Actually, not completely centralised because there will be two 24 hour offices and a few more operating lesser hours. When you call the coastguard on either VHF or telephone you will talk to someone who is just a "UK coastguard", not restricted to a single locality. Presumably this will help to even out the distribution of workload so that a single MRCC is not overloaded if it has to deal with multiple incidents at once. I can already hear the "loss of local knowledge" cry but really the local knowledge doesn't lie with the MRCCs anyway; they rely on lifeboats, coastguard rescue teams and other resources who are highly localised and know their own patches. The MRCC will also have a new database of local placenames to assist when someone phones up saying "I'm near Black Rock" or some such.

Please note this is my personal opinion and understanding of the situation, and is in no way official coastguard information.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

It will be a pity to see them go but, TBH, I'm struggling to work out why they have as many as 25 people. It does sound a bit top heavy.

 

[Angele]

It will be a pity to see them go but, TBH, I'm struggling to work out why they have as many as 25 people. It does sound a bit top heavy.

They provide a 24 hour service, 7 days per week. So, presumably that needs a number of shifts. I suspect that some of the 25 are not full time, so you are probably left with fewer than 6 people in the office at any one time.

Doesn't sound "top heavy" to me. Actually seems rather lean.

 

[longjohnsilver]

They provide a 24 hour service, 7 days per week. So, presumably that needs a number of shifts. I suspect that some of the 25 are not full time, so you are probably left with fewer than 6 people in the office at any one time.

Doesn't sound "top heavy" to me. Actually seems rather lean.

Agreed. Let's assume they are entitled to 5 weeks annual holiday, that's 125 weeks, or a reduction in numbers by 2.5 persons, maybe some sick leave and training, say another 1 person per week missing, a few part timers, so maybe down to 20 staff, say a couple of managers, now 18. Let's say 5 different watches, that's now 3 or 4 on each watch. All guesswork, but can't be too far away from reality. Not overstaffed in my book for a 24/7/365 operation.

 

[prv]

Let's say 5 different watches, that's now 3 or 4 on each watch.

I have the impression from somewhere that three people is a normal watch, two junior and one senior. But I could well be wrong.

ChanelYacht could no doubt enlighten us, but he doesn't seem to have been around here recently.

Pete

 

[bridevon]

It is true that Brixham CG will close by March next year if not earlier along with Portland,Solent,Thames,Swansea and Liverpool due to the Government cut backs.Three Stations have already closed. The stations on the South coast that are left will be Falmouth(who will lose their international Search and Rescue roleto the MOC) and the new centre (MOC)at Fareham,Portsmouth and Dover.
All staff at the closing stations will be made redundant and offered the opportunity to work at the MOC or relocate,after applying for their job anyway,to where there is a vacancy. This could be somewhere close like Falmouth if they have any vacancies left as numbers of staff are also being reduced or Shetland,Stornoway etc.
As regards the manning, most stations have 4 watches working 12 hour shifts of 2 days and 2 nights. However,staff at closing stations are leaving in droves to get new careers outside of the Coastguard which is such a shame as years of experience are being lost. Liverpool are constantly working with 2 or 3 on watch with Holyhead listening to their radios etc.
Closing stations have campaigned for the last 2 years without being able to persuade the Government/MCA that closing stations is not a good idea.
Just as a closing thought, at the moment Brixham will take out of date flares free of charge for disposal. It may well be that in the future it will mean going to Falmouth or Portsmouth to get rid of them or paying a private firm to dispose of them.