Southend lifeboat station named busiest in country in 2012 (From Southend Standard)
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Southend lifeboat station named busiest in country in 2012
5:00pm Friday 25th January 2013 in News
SOUTHEND’S lifeboat station was the busiest coastal centre in the UK last year, new figures show.
The RNLI’s team of volunteers in Southend launched lifeboats 137 times, racking up more than 400 hours at sea.
The station, which is entirely made up of 40 volunteers, saved 132 people last year, more than a quarter of the total helped at all six Essex rescue centres.
When a member of the crew is on duty they are given a pager, and if there is an emergency, they will have to drop whatever they are doing and rush out.
Den Freeman, spokesman from Southend RNLI, said: “Our volunteers have got to have sympathetic employeers and family members, as being part of the RNLI usually means taking away their free time.
“Some of them even have to make up the work after-hours, but they provide such a good service for people in Southend.
“The reason we’re so busy is because we cover from West Canvey to East Beach in Shoebury and although we didn’t have a great summer a lot of our rescues were leisure related, like wind surfers and fisherman.”
This station was thid only to two inland stations on the Thames in central London, Tower and Chiswick for callouts in the UK.
Both of them do not rely entirely on volunteer crew.
Comments(9)
Cosmo Spring
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5:10pm Fri 25 Jan 13
thid?
abd123
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5:43pm Fri 25 Jan 13
Max Impact
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6:14pm Fri 25 Jan 13
abd123 wrote:When you think how big the Thames is and the number of boating people up that way including the rowers, pleasure craft etc:
Chiswick doesn't spring to mind when thinking of lifeboat stations let alone being one of the busiest.
Southend has always been near the top of the coastal stations, the London boats get a lot of calls to people jumping or threatning to jump in to the water, which increases the number of call outs.
psorias
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10:26pm Fri 25 Jan 13
www.rnlishop.org.uk/
Gifts is a good place to buy gifts if you also appreciate the RNLI worth a look I think.
Max Impact
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11:03pm Fri 25 Jan 13
psorias wrote:Better still go to the end of the pier and make use of the local RNLI shop, drop your change in the collection pot to keep the boys and girls at sea protecting and saving lives.
I'd like to thank the volunteers who work for the RNLI I do not know any of you, and thankfully, I or anyone I know have needed your services. But I have brought up four children and have a grandson and we have had many seaside holidays. I know you are there and that is reassuring. 132 people saved from the sea equals thousands saved from grieving. Well done to our Southend RNLI and to all volunteers who risk their lives to help others.
www.rnlishop.org.uk/
Gifts is a good place to buy gifts if you also appreciate the RNLI worth a look I think.
ShrimperSS0
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3:29am Sat 26 Jan 13
Carnabackable
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2:15pm Sat 26 Jan 13
Max Impact
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8:13pm Sat 26 Jan 13
Carnabackable wrote:How when the vast vast majority involve rescues away from the pier.
Hopefully with the winter closure, of Southend pier, the work load of these heroes will drop off
Letmetryagain says...
5:07pm Fri 25 Jan 13