The rescue process

David Croall

'As soon as the lifeboat was on scene, and the crew took charge, all my concerns and fears disappeared'

Rescued by Oban lifeboat

Alerting the crew

If a lifeboat or hovercraft is required then the Coastguard sets the pagers off and contacts the lifeboat operations manager (LOM) or deputy launching authority (DLA) and requests the launch of the lifeboat. Once the LOM/DLA gives permission to launch the lifeboat, the crew and helpers are then alerted by pager, backed up by maroons in some cases. The RNLI uses its own call out and communications system (COACS).

The pagers

To a crew member or shore helper, a pager is like any other bit of clothing that’s put on or carried with them everywhere, every day, and it’s even been likened to an umbilical cord. It’s always with them, day or night. The pagers give off different tones to tell the crew which boat is required and they can also be set to vibrate with a flashing light. Short messages can be sent in less than 30 seconds, for example:
‘Launch request Coastguard / Launch ILB / Launch ALB / Launch both boats’.

Bikes, buggies and boats … arriving at the station

When the pagers go off the lifeboat crew may be at home, out shopping, at work or even asleep, and when they hear the pager they stop what they’re doing and rush to the lifeboat station as quickly, but as safely, as possible. They may jump into their cars or even run down to the station but bikes, buggies and boats have all been used to get crew and shore helpers to the station. Although the mode of transport may be different for every crew member there’s one thing that’s always the same – the butterflies and the adrenalin start pumping and the question that’s asked is: ‘I wonder what the shout will be this time?’

Getting kitted up

Once the coxswain and mechanic of the all weather lifeboat and/or the helmsman of the inshore lifeboat arrive they can then find out what the problem is and decide on the best course of action to take and which crew members to take. At stations with two or more lifeboats the LOM may decide to launch all boats.

The crew then get kitted up in their protective clothing. For all weather lifeboat crew this means yellow waterproof trousers and jacket, yellow wellies, lifejacket and helmet. For the inshore lifeboat crew they wear a drysuit (with yellow wellies attached), lifejackets and helmet. Optional items include gloves and woolly bears (thermal undersuits) for colder weather.

Launching the lifeboat

Successful rescues are all about teams working together and this happens even before the lifeboat has been launched. The lifeboat crews and shore helpers all work together to make sure the lifeboat is launched safely.

As the crew are getting kitted up the launchers get ready to take the lifeboat out to sea. If it’s an inshore lifeboat, a driver is needed for the tractor, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) or land rover, which pulls the lifeboat, and sometimes a number of launchers are needed to help the crew get the lifeboat through the waves and surf.

If it’s an all weather carriage-launched lifeboat then a tractor driver and a whole team of launchers are needed to guide the lifeboat across roads, sand or from a shingle beach into the surf. On a slipway-launched lifeboat the head launcher, using a hammer, knocks the pin out of the cable that holds the lifeboat poised at the top of the ramp. If the lifeboat lies afloat in the harbour then the crew will get into a boarding boat and motor out to her.

The average time to launch a lifeboat is seven minutes for an inshore lifeboat and 12 minutes for an all weather lifeboat.

Crew numbers

Once the lifeboat has been launched the rescue starts in earnest. The radio operator talks to the Coastguard on the radio and asks them for an update of the situation and also passes on details of who is on board the lifeboat. Each lifeboat crew member has a number and the Coastguard stations in each area have lists of all their names and numbers for each station. All the radio operator needs to do is to pass on the crew numbers to the Coastguard: ‘Crew numbers 3, 11, and 29 on board.’ With so many families and people with the same surnames it means that there can be no confusion about who is going out and also it saves trying to spell some of the more difficult names!

The need to pass on the numbers is, of course, something that no one wants to think about. If there is an injury or worse, a death, everyone will quickly know who is on the lifeboat.

The rescue

The initial contact with the Coastguard provides the crew with some details about the incident – what the casualty is, where it is, how many people are involved, whether anyone has been injured and whether they are likely to need medical attention. All of this information is useful so the crew can plot a course to the casualty and start getting any equipment ready they may need – first aid equipment, salvage pump if a boat is taking on water, scramble net to get someone out of the water, or ropes to tow a boat. If it’s going to be a long shout the crew will even put on the water heater (on an all weather lifeboat) so they can make cups of tea or soup later on, both for the survivors and themselves.

Arriving on scene the crew lets the Coastguard know and then checks out the situation and assesses what they need to do and talks to the casualty if possible. What might seem like a straight forward rescue to the lifeboat crew can be a frightening experience for the people involved and so it’s important for the crew to provide a friendly face and to reassure them that they will do all they can to sort the situation out.

Equally for the lifeboat crew, as well as the people involved, it can be a tense and dramatic time and the coxswain/helmsman and crew have to make quick and effective decisions. Often a great deal of courage, determination, skill, leadership, agility and perseverance is required to carry out a successful rescue.

The rescue can sometimes take just a few minutes, or it can take several hours. However long it takes, the crews communicate with each other and the Coastguard, and work together towards a successful outcome.

Returning to station

After the rescue is over and the lifeboat has been brought back to the station it has to be washed down and cleaned inside (especially after a really rough shout – yuk!). All the equipment is checked and any items replaced or restocked. The fuel tank is filled and the boat is left ready for the next launch – which could be tomorrow or not for another few weeks. Whenever it happens, the lifeboats, the crew, shore helpers and everyone involved will be ready.