owendo
Active Member
Has any one else heard that the RNLI are to stop using maroons on H&S grounds.
If so How many people are, like me, appaled the this proposal.
If so How many people are, like me, appaled the this proposal.
RNLI Maroons
- Thread starter owendo
- Start date
LORDNELSON
Well-Known Member
They stopped using them once before, but found that it was bad PR and started using them again.
ShipsWoofy
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
From RNLI.org.uk The RNLI Operations Management team has recently re-evaluated the use of maroons at lifeboat stations as they are aware of some health and safety risks – there is a potential for the maroons to misfire and for debris to be blown about and back to shore by the wind.
Consequently it’s been decided to reduce any potential risk by minimising the use of maroons, and to fire them only when absolutely necessary.
These days RNLI volunteer crews rely on modern technology – they have pagers and are alerted to ‘shouts’ via their paging system. From now our lifeboat crews will mainly use maroons as an emergency back-up in case our other systems, the pagers and telephones, fail.
The firing of a maroon is a long held tradition – but today it is more about symbolism than an actual call to the volunteer crew to get to the lifeboat station for a rescue.
Occasionally, maroons may be used at other times – perhaps to alert a casualty, within earshot, that the lifeboat is on its way for reassurance. This ensures they don’t attempt any manoeuvre that puts them in greater danger.
It’s been brought to our attention that the media have misconstrued this information and are reporting the notion that the RNLI is recommending that yachtsmen do not let off flares if they need help. This is totally untrue, is not what the RNLI is recommending, and has been reported in error by the media. The press office has contacted them and the media are now rectifying their error.
In fact the RNLI always recommends that flares are carried aboard vessels because they are a vital piece of safety equipment and a proper and recognised method for signalling distress.
[/ QUOTE ]
If people do not know the boat is going out they will not donate into the tins!
This is utterly ridiculous, when the gun goes, there is an air of excitement across the whole town, people rush to the sea front to see the boat go out. I am going to write and complain, we can not allow this tradition to stop.
From RNLI.org.uk The RNLI Operations Management team has recently re-evaluated the use of maroons at lifeboat stations as they are aware of some health and safety risks – there is a potential for the maroons to misfire and for debris to be blown about and back to shore by the wind.
Consequently it’s been decided to reduce any potential risk by minimising the use of maroons, and to fire them only when absolutely necessary.
These days RNLI volunteer crews rely on modern technology – they have pagers and are alerted to ‘shouts’ via their paging system. From now our lifeboat crews will mainly use maroons as an emergency back-up in case our other systems, the pagers and telephones, fail.
The firing of a maroon is a long held tradition – but today it is more about symbolism than an actual call to the volunteer crew to get to the lifeboat station for a rescue.
Occasionally, maroons may be used at other times – perhaps to alert a casualty, within earshot, that the lifeboat is on its way for reassurance. This ensures they don’t attempt any manoeuvre that puts them in greater danger.
It’s been brought to our attention that the media have misconstrued this information and are reporting the notion that the RNLI is recommending that yachtsmen do not let off flares if they need help. This is totally untrue, is not what the RNLI is recommending, and has been reported in error by the media. The press office has contacted them and the media are now rectifying their error.
In fact the RNLI always recommends that flares are carried aboard vessels because they are a vital piece of safety equipment and a proper and recognised method for signalling distress.
[/ QUOTE ]
If people do not know the boat is going out they will not donate into the tins!
This is utterly ridiculous, when the gun goes, there is an air of excitement across the whole town, people rush to the sea front to see the boat go out. I am going to write and complain, we can not allow this tradition to stop.
PilotWolf
Well-Known Member
What is more worrying is yet more published 'misinterpretation' by the press to the masses, of what I believe is a clearly understood press release...
How many words or column inches on page 789 will the correction consist of?!
PW
How many words or column inches on page 789 will the correction consist of?!
PW
Mirelle
N/A
A mistake, I think. Two reasons, one very practical.
Of course the crews have pagers, now.
But the firing of the maroons still serves two purposes.
The obvious one is that sundry landlubbers rush over to see the launch, and are thereby reminded to donate.
The other, more practical one, is that, where the lifeboat station is within a harbour, other vessels in the area know that the lifeboat is off on a "shout", and may be proceeding to sea at high speed.
This is rather analogous to ships giving a sound signal when they are about to leave a berth - nobody is suggesting that that "tradition" should be stopped!
Of course the crews have pagers, now.
But the firing of the maroons still serves two purposes.
The obvious one is that sundry landlubbers rush over to see the launch, and are thereby reminded to donate.
The other, more practical one, is that, where the lifeboat station is within a harbour, other vessels in the area know that the lifeboat is off on a "shout", and may be proceeding to sea at high speed.
This is rather analogous to ships giving a sound signal when they are about to leave a berth - nobody is suggesting that that "tradition" should be stopped!
Will_M
Well-Known Member
Re: A mistake, I think. Two reasons, one very practical.
A cant image our local station not firing maroons, we live close enough to the station to hear the maroons 'wosh' as they are fired and obviously followed by the bang, its part an parcel of the RNLI’s launches.
I mean if I must have seen 100’s of launches now over the years, but its always interesting to see just how many people rush down with the crews to watch the event.
And has been said, it reminds people to drop some pennies in the collection boxes.
H&S is just bloody barking on many occasions, this been one...
A cant image our local station not firing maroons, we live close enough to the station to hear the maroons 'wosh' as they are fired and obviously followed by the bang, its part an parcel of the RNLI’s launches.
I mean if I must have seen 100’s of launches now over the years, but its always interesting to see just how many people rush down with the crews to watch the event.
And has been said, it reminds people to drop some pennies in the collection boxes.
H&S is just bloody barking on many occasions, this been one...
AngusMcDoon
Well-Known Member
I wonder if they have any evidence of anyone ever being hurt my a maroon.
Evadne
Well-Known Member
I thought that that was exactly the reason why they stopped the first time around, after someone was badly injured or killed when a maroon misfired, but I can't locate any story regarding this.
Landale
Well-Known Member
I wan't hurt but I almost had an underwear changing experience -
New boat, too impatient to find a crew so a single handed trip, perhaps not the wisest thing for the first trip on new boat(to me).
Sea slight to moderate, wind 3-4 chugging out of the harbour getting used to the odd noises the Moody and the 2003 make when:
One VERY loud bang from no apparent source
Minor oh dear and look for the source on the boat, but all appears OK /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Then ANOTHER one /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Look below and I'll admit getting slightly concerned, but all sounds and looks OK /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Emerge from below to see the bits of the maroon descending and peeps watching an RNLI Landlubbers demo /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
I did laugh afterwards and the experience has given me a much greater presence of mind!
New boat, too impatient to find a crew so a single handed trip, perhaps not the wisest thing for the first trip on new boat(to me).
Sea slight to moderate, wind 3-4 chugging out of the harbour getting used to the odd noises the Moody and the 2003 make when:
One VERY loud bang from no apparent source
Minor oh dear and look for the source on the boat, but all appears OK /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Then ANOTHER one /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Look below and I'll admit getting slightly concerned, but all sounds and looks OK /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Emerge from below to see the bits of the maroon descending and peeps watching an RNLI Landlubbers demo /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
I did laugh afterwards and the experience has given me a much greater presence of mind!
cliff
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I wonder if they have any evidence of anyone ever being hurt my a maroon.
[/ QUOTE ]I don't know how much truth there is in this but I was informed a few weeks ago that a fire was started in a building in the local town when the maroon came down before going "bang" - good H&S reason not to fire them off! In addition I am lead to believe each maroon costa in the region of £80+ per bang /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
I know some will say it is not a lot of money but if the station is loosing off 2 or 3 per launch for the "advertising" effect we are talking of £160 ~ £240 per time over so many stations. It all adds up!
--------------------
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
I wonder if they have any evidence of anyone ever being hurt my a maroon.
[/ QUOTE ]I don't know how much truth there is in this but I was informed a few weeks ago that a fire was started in a building in the local town when the maroon came down before going "bang" - good H&S reason not to fire them off! In addition I am lead to believe each maroon costa in the region of £80+ per bang /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
I know some will say it is not a lot of money but if the station is loosing off 2 or 3 per launch for the "advertising" effect we are talking of £160 ~ £240 per time over so many stations. It all adds up!
--------------------
savageseadog
Well-Known Member
I did hear of a lifeboatman being killed by a Maroon about 10 years ago ?
StephenSails
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
From RNLI.org.uk The RNLI Operations Management team has recently re-evaluated the use of maroons at lifeboat stations as they are aware of some health and safety risks – there is a potential for the maroons to misfire and for debris to be blown about and back to shore by the wind.
Consequently it’s been decided to reduce any potential risk by minimising the use of maroons, and to fire them only when absolutely necessary.
These days RNLI volunteer crews rely on modern technology – they have pagers and are alerted to ‘shouts’ via their paging system. From now our lifeboat crews will mainly use maroons as an emergency back-up in case our other systems, the pagers and telephones, fail.
The firing of a maroon is a long held tradition – but today it is more about symbolism than an actual call to the volunteer crew to get to the lifeboat station for a rescue.
Occasionally, maroons may be used at other times – perhaps to alert a casualty, within earshot, that the lifeboat is on its way for reassurance. This ensures they don’t attempt any manoeuvre that puts them in greater danger.
It’s been brought to our attention that the media have misconstrued this information and are reporting the notion that the RNLI is recommending that yachtsmen do not let off flares if they need help. This is totally untrue, is not what the RNLI is recommending, and has been reported in error by the media. The press office has contacted them and the media are now rectifying their error.
In fact the RNLI always recommends that flares are carried aboard vessels because they are a vital piece of safety equipment and a proper and recognised method for signalling distress.
[/ QUOTE ]
If people do not know the boat is going out they will not donate into the tins!
This is utterly ridiculous, when the gun goes, there is an air of excitement across the whole town, people rush to the sea front to see the boat go out. I am going to write and complain, we can not allow this tradition to stop.
[/ QUOTE ]
Come on, the RNLI is a money making machine, I have given up on donating to them for the time being as they have got simply so much money they dont know what to do with it. They now employ beach lifeguards down the West Country. As for the health and safety risk, someone at I think the Littlehampton station was nearly hit by the falling metal casing of one of these maroons a year or two ago.
[ QUOTE ]
From RNLI.org.uk The RNLI Operations Management team has recently re-evaluated the use of maroons at lifeboat stations as they are aware of some health and safety risks – there is a potential for the maroons to misfire and for debris to be blown about and back to shore by the wind.
Consequently it’s been decided to reduce any potential risk by minimising the use of maroons, and to fire them only when absolutely necessary.
These days RNLI volunteer crews rely on modern technology – they have pagers and are alerted to ‘shouts’ via their paging system. From now our lifeboat crews will mainly use maroons as an emergency back-up in case our other systems, the pagers and telephones, fail.
The firing of a maroon is a long held tradition – but today it is more about symbolism than an actual call to the volunteer crew to get to the lifeboat station for a rescue.
Occasionally, maroons may be used at other times – perhaps to alert a casualty, within earshot, that the lifeboat is on its way for reassurance. This ensures they don’t attempt any manoeuvre that puts them in greater danger.
It’s been brought to our attention that the media have misconstrued this information and are reporting the notion that the RNLI is recommending that yachtsmen do not let off flares if they need help. This is totally untrue, is not what the RNLI is recommending, and has been reported in error by the media. The press office has contacted them and the media are now rectifying their error.
In fact the RNLI always recommends that flares are carried aboard vessels because they are a vital piece of safety equipment and a proper and recognised method for signalling distress.
[/ QUOTE ]
If people do not know the boat is going out they will not donate into the tins!
This is utterly ridiculous, when the gun goes, there is an air of excitement across the whole town, people rush to the sea front to see the boat go out. I am going to write and complain, we can not allow this tradition to stop.
[/ QUOTE ]
Come on, the RNLI is a money making machine, I have given up on donating to them for the time being as they have got simply so much money they dont know what to do with it. They now employ beach lifeguards down the West Country. As for the health and safety risk, someone at I think the Littlehampton station was nearly hit by the falling metal casing of one of these maroons a year or two ago.
starboard
Well-Known Member
About 10 years ago a maroon down in Devon/Cornwall went off in the wrong direction, it blew down the guttering on a nearby hotel causing damage to parked cars close by. After that the RNLI stopped the use of hand maroons. This caused such an outcry around the coast on the grounds of poor PR. Eventually and at vast expense to the RNLI they designed and had manufactured a devise that you were meant to place the hand maroons in before firing hence removing the possible errors in direction of fire. Needles to say this device at most stations was thrown in the back of the workshop and never used, certainally here at Troon that was the case and the maroons continued to be fired direct from the hand and I guess that was the case elsewhere.
I often shuddered to think how much money the RNLI wasted on that little exercise as this piece of equipment was engineered to the highest standard....and for what.
I must admit though it will be a sad day to see the Marroons to dissapear for ever.....at least it gives us the chance when entering the harbour here to batten down the hatches prior to being met by the wash of the departing lifeboat!!
Paul (ex RNLI)
I often shuddered to think how much money the RNLI wasted on that little exercise as this piece of equipment was engineered to the highest standard....and for what.
I must admit though it will be a sad day to see the Marroons to dissapear for ever.....at least it gives us the chance when entering the harbour here to batten down the hatches prior to being met by the wash of the departing lifeboat!!
Paul (ex RNLI)
Talbot
Well-Known Member
The one thing that the maroon does, but the modern electronic pagers etc does not do, is to warn other boats in the vivinity of the lifeboat station, that they are about to deploy. In some locations this is a considerable risk reduction system which will need to be addressed if the maroons are to be phased out.
cliff
Well-Known Member
No. All they have to do in troon is keep their speed down for a <span style="color:red">few seconds</span> until clear of the west dolphin. Absolutely no need for maroons apart from advertising and giving someone an Adrenalin rush.
--------------------
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
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KevB
Well-Known Member
I would imagine that places like Yarmouth will keep firing the maroons. Can you imagine the RNLI getting out of there on a weekend without letting everyone know about it.
Joe_Cole
Well-Known Member
I find it astonishing that people should get excited about something as trivial as this. If RNLI want to get rid of maroons because of the dangers, then it's good enough for me. I am sure that they will have considered the operational implications and they will be satisfied that other means can be employed when there is a "shout"
True, the maroons are great fun when they go off, but I certainly wouldn't wish to condemn RNLI staff to using dangerous equipment simply to satisfy peoples wish to have a bit of excitement.
True, the maroons are great fun when they go off, but I certainly wouldn't wish to condemn RNLI staff to using dangerous equipment simply to satisfy peoples wish to have a bit of excitement.
starboard
Well-Known Member
I think you call it Tradition......for those of us that have been round long enough to appreciate it!!
Paul.
Paul.
brianrunyard
Well-Known Member
Why are you appaled? Pagers are far quicker.
Joe_Cole
Well-Known Member
What, the tradition of people having their hands blown off? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Don't get me wrong. I think the things are great fun, but I don't think we should hamper the RNLI simply because of what is probably an unnecessary tradition. The real tradition that I want to support is the RNLI tradition of saving life. (Sorry if that sounds pompous, but I think you understand what I mean)
Don't get me wrong. I think the things are great fun, but I don't think we should hamper the RNLI simply because of what is probably an unnecessary tradition. The real tradition that I want to support is the RNLI tradition of saving life. (Sorry if that sounds pompous, but I think you understand what I mean)
