How Can You Call Out The Lifeboat?

[Deleted member 36384]

The lifeboat is called out by the Coastguard, so I believe. Is there another way to call out the lifeboat that doesn't involve the Coastguard? Apparently in the olden days if the old widow who lives on the cliff top noticed a vessel in distress, she sent a young boy running to get the Coxswain to launch the lifeboat.

The RNLI is an independent organisation so is there an agreement or rule that states that the lifeboat has to be called out by the Coastguard?

 

[alant]

The lifeboat is called out by the Coastguard, so I believe. Is there another way to call out the lifeboat that doesn't involve the Coastguard? Apparently in the olden days if the old widow who lives on the cliff top noticed a vessel in distress, she sent a young boy running to get the Coxswain to launch the lifeboat.

The RNLI is an independent organisation so is there an agreement or rule that states that the lifeboat has to be called out by the Coastguard?

Presumably it stops calls being made by pillocks & also rescue involves all services, so needs coordination.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

The lifeboat is called out by the Coastguard, so I believe. Is there another way to call out the lifeboat that doesn't involve the Coastguard? Apparently in the olden days if the old widow who lives on the cliff top noticed a vessel in distress, she sent a young boy running to get the Coxswain to launch the lifeboat.

The RNLI is an independent organisation so is there an agreement or rule that states that the lifeboat has to be called out by the Coastguard?

The coast guard is best placed to decide which Lifeboat, either Inshore or a big one, a helicoptor, land based CG volunteers, or maybe other vessels in the neighbourhood.

 

[alant]

The coast guard is best placed to decide which Lifeboat, either Inshore or a big one, a helicoptor, land based CG volunteers, or maybe other vessels in the neighbourhood.

"rescue involves all services, so needs coordination."

 

[Searush]

IIRC, the RNLI appoint a "Launch Authority" at each station & it his/her decision to launch. I suspect anyone can request a launch & if the reason is good enough (verifiable?/ serious or whatever) then the call out signal will be sent to gather the crew.

Generally, calls for assistance & 999 calls from the public are routed via the coastguard who then requests a launch from the relevant launching authority (maybe 2 or3 different stations if incident requires it). But a member of the public could still run to the LB station with a call for help & if there is someone there to contact the LA.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Yes all that may be true despite malicious calls to the coastguard and examples of incompetent coordination. However, the question remains, can one call out the (RNLI) lifeboat without recourse to the Coastguard.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

IIRC, the RNLI appoint a "Launch Authority" at each station & it his/her decision to launch. I suspect anyone can request a launch & if the reason is good enough (verifiable?/ serious or whatever) then the call out signal will be sent to gather the crew.

Generally, calls for assistance & 999 calls from the public are routed via the coastguard who then requests a launch from the relevant launching authority (maybe 2 or3 different stations if incident requires it). But a member of the public could still run to the LB station with a call for help & if there is someone there to contact the LA.

Thanks Searush.

 

[Mark-1]

The lifeboat is called out by the Coastguard, so I believe. Is there another way to call out the lifeboat that doesn't involve the Coastguard? Apparently in the olden days if the old widow who lives on the cliff top noticed a vessel in distress, she sent a young boy running to get the Coxswain to launch the lifeboat.

The RNLI is an independent organisation so is there an agreement or rule that states that the lifeboat has to be called out by the Coastguard?

I needed a tow in Tobermory once. SWMBO walked round to the Lifeboat station and asked them verbally. They brought the boat round no problem at all.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

"rescue involves all services, so needs coordination."

 

[chanelyacht]

However, the question remains, can one call out the (RNLI) lifeboat without recourse to the Coastguard.

Yes.

If you know the Launching Authority (applies to independent lifeboats as well), you can request them - but 99 times out of 100, they'll refer you back to us.

Lifeboats are a declared asset - that means they must advise us of anything which might affect their availability for calls. That includes training, PR events, and being out doing other things.

CG are responsible by law for all civil maritime search and rescue - hence any LB station will tell us what they are doing.

Crew can self-launch, but again they will tell us the incident and what they are doing, and we will coordinate.

Why would you want an LB to be out without us knowing?

And if you think there's a problem with "incompetent coordination" now, (although you give no backup for this) just wait and see what happens if the current plans go through...

 

[wooslehunter]

Just about answered so far. Strictly, when Coastie launches a lifeboat, they request a launch from the launch authority.

My question is why would you want to launch a boat without Coastie running the job?

Whatever the scenario, anyone would want to get help as fast as possible. Coastie, has many resources & will allocated the best one. Say for instance a certain lifeboat is already on a job, then you will waste time trying to get the launch authority to launch. Coastie will already know it & task the best resource for the job. Here's another: how many times have you heard Coastie asking for any vessel that can help. That's because a simple tow will tie up a lifeboat resource when the job could be done by someone else.

There are two people who should launch a lifeboat: Coastie via the launch authority & the launch authority independently.

 

[prv]

Why would you want an LB to be out without us knowing?

I presume it wasn't so much "without the coastguard knowing", as a fear that their capability will be so degraded in future that one might need to instigate a rescue independently. Much like I was toying with the idea of hiring a tipper truck for a day and seeing if the busybodies in the Residents' Association could be put to use loading the rubbish into it that the binmen aren't collecting round here.

Not a fear I share in relation to the coastguard, but I assumed that's where he was coming from. Prudent sailors have a backup, after all.

Pete

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Yes.

If you know the Launching Authority (applies to independent lifeboats as well), you can request them - but 99 times out of 100, they'll refer you back to us.

Lifeboats are a declared asset - that means they must advise us of anything which might affect their availability for calls. That includes training, PR events, and being out doing other things.

CG are responsible by law for all civil maritime search and rescue - hence any LB station will tell us what they are doing.

Crew can self-launch, but again they will tell us the incident and what they are doing, and we will co ordinate.

Why would you want an LB to be out without us knowing?

And if you think there's a problem with "incompetent coordination" now, (although you give no backup for this) just wait and see what happens if the current plans go through...

The question is not about how best to co ordinate a rescue, it was about launching the lifeboat directly. The answer is now clear. So if the Vicar runs into Douglas Lifeboat station and says he saw a trawler on the rocks the lifeboat may launch without a sanction by the Coastguard but will notify the Coastguard.

I dont give an example of incompetent Coastguard co ordination because that is not what I am discussing here. You and some other forumites will be aware of incompetent co ordination by the coastguard, as it has been discussed here before, has been formally investigated and reported in the public domain.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

My question is why would you want to launch a boat without Coastie running the job?.....

I asked the question because of the perception and claims that the proposed reorganisation of the coastguard will lead to a loss of efficiency of that organisation. I wondered if it was possible to launch a lifeboat without the Coastguard involvement in the launch. There have been cases of other rescue services not being allowed to carryout their rescue duties, due to protocol, where lives have been lost. Hopefully this will give you an idea about why I asked the question and see that it is not related to co ordinating efforts.

Of course the majority of calls for assistance will be through VHF or 999 which will cause the existing call out process to respond and be co ordinated by the Coastguard. However, it is not beyond the wit of man to construct scenarios where one could be in a position to directly contact a lifeboat station.

 

[alant]

I needed a tow in Tobermory once. SWMBO walked round to the Lifeboat station and asked them verbally. They brought the boat round no problem at all.

SWMBO walked around?

Tide out was it?

Not really a 'rescue' situation then!

 

[alant]

The question is not about how best to co ordinate a rescue, it was about launching the lifeboat directly. The answer is now clear. So if the Vicar runs into Douglas Lifeboat station and says he saw a trawler on the rocks the lifeboat may launch without a sanction by the Coastguard but will notify the Coastguard.

I dont give an example of incompetent Coastguard co ordination because that is not what I am discussing here. You and some other forumites will be aware of incompetent co ordination by the coastguard, as it has been discussed here before, has been formally investigated and reported in the public domain.

"So if the Vicar runs into Douglas Lifeboat station"

What about a lay person, not appointed by God, will that do as well?

 

[Searush]

Alant

Your points are facile & unworthy of you.

 

[Old Troll]

Old Troll

The final say in the launching of the Lifeboat will be made by the Secretary and Coxwain of the relevant local lifeboat station. Is there any legal obligations between the MCC Coastguard and the RNLI ? Does anyone know and could enlighten us ?

 

[alant]

Alant

Your points are facile & unworthy of you.

Searush, since when have you become the arbitor of this forum?

The points made were relevant!

1) If SWMBO walked around, this probably was not a rescue shout, so why did a rescue service oblige? If a real shout had come in, mid tow, time would have been wasted.

2) The point about the Vicar, was to the effect that would a member of the public, have had a lesser hearing than someone wearing a dog collar? What gives them more respectibility/believability than anyone else? Remember the question was, can anyone call the LB out?

 

[Deleted member 36384]

More Tea Vicar

..... 2) The point about the Vicar, was to the effect that would a member of the public, have had a lesser hearing than someone wearing a dog collar? .....

More Tea Vicar perhaps would assure you of the egalitarianism of society. Its also why I have a healthy mistrust of Professionals.

Drink up, lets go sailing.