Petition to save coastguard stations

[Steve Coppolo]

Hi once again to you all and it looks like I have touched a raw nerve there Steve, didn’t realise you were a fireman though you did drop enough hints. I wont go on about the failed call centres or how disappointed the public where, that the

F B union actually considered holding a strike on bonfire night, as that would be off topic.

 

Bob

Yes, it's probably wise that you don't make too many comments on a subject you know absolutely f**k all about. But then, it must be hard to break the habit of a lifetime, eh, Bob? Bob.

 

 

 

Anyone else who might be interested, fire service is the fire service and the coastguard is the coastguard. They are two different things. However, I speak as someone who has first hand experience of emergency respsonses how they can be affected by 'improved' mobilising systems. I don't believe for one second that the service provided by the coastguard will be improved by cutting the number of watchkeepers. I do believe, however, that the service will suffer if the cuts go ahead. It won't matter if you never need them, but spare a thought for the many folks who do need them each year - and how you would feel if you were in distress, at sea, waiting for them to save your life. Would you rather there were 36 watch keepers with local knowledge and experience on duty when you make your distress call, or 15 watch keepers who don't?

Edited January 6, 2011 by Steve Coppolo

[Bob Shotter]

Yes Seafood 15 is less than 36 but the point I’m making here is with the current system only eight can work on one area at any given time.

So let’s say Falmouth has a serious incident, they can call on the Brixham watch keepers to help and using your own information, that is four watch keepers in each station, which are some miles apart, where as the new station covering the south of the UK has fifteen watch keepers working in the same room. Bearing in mind, again as you have said, all other work is dropped during an emergency there are fifteen watch keepers on hand and that my friend, is more than eight.

 

When you talk to folk about this, the hype of ‘Lives will be Lost’ wins round one but as you ask them to look at the issue in depth including the MCA web site consultation / information then people change their stance very quickly and realise that this might well be a long overdue improvement as well as saving money for the tax payer.

 

Out of interest Nigel Hodge who skippers one of the boats I use regularly, always calls the coast guard and lets them know when we go out, how many are on board and our estimated time of return. Now if the fishing is good, Nigel will stay out longer than planed often by some hours. I have never yet heard the coast guard call after the given return time to see if all is well.

 

Further more the only other skipper I know who calls the coast guard on departure is Malcolm Rickard on Misty Lady on one trip with him from the river Hamble we encountered an unexpected change in the weather which meant we had to take much longer to get back home, again no call from the Solent coast guard who had continued with routine traffic.

 

Steve C you say I talk about a subject that I know naff all about, if you knew your subject of politics a little better then you would know that most of the politicians who will decide on these improvements will also know naff all about it either. They will rely on the information available and the input from the likes of your good self and you should know they will dismiss emotive comment along with badly worded petitions. Which leaves us with the difference between your arrogance and mine and that difference I concede you get paid for by BFM where as I do it for nothing

 

cheers Bob

[Steve Coppolo]

Steve C you say I talk about a subject that I know naff all about, if you knew your subject of politics a little better then you would know that most of the politicians who will decide on these improvements will also know naff all about it either. They will rely on the information available and the input from the likes of your good self and you should know they will dismiss emotive comment along with badly worded petitions. Which leaves us with the difference between your arrogance and mine and that difference I concede you get paid for by BFM where as I do it for nothing

cheers Bob

 

Just found this video of you talking at one of your IFCA meetings, Bob.

 

 

[seafoods]

Yes Seafood 15 is less than 36 but the point I’m making here is with the current system only eight can work on one area at any given time.

So let’s say Falmouth has a serious incident, they can call on the Brixham watch keepers to help and using your own information, that is four watch keepers in each station, which are some miles apart, where as the new station covering the south of the UK has fifteen watch keepers working in the same room. Bearing in mind, again as you have said, all other work is dropped during an emergency there are fifteen watch keepers on hand and that my friend, is more than eight.

 

You couldn't be further off the mark if you tried, I thought I was keeping it simple obviously your lack of SAR knowledge is complicating it in your mind. If Falmouth are working on a serious incident there will be one watchkeeper on channel 16 speaking to the casualty and any passing boats offering to help. There will be one watchkeeper on channel 99 talking to coastguard teams and lifeboats, choppers etc. that they have tasked to the incident. The other two will be working on search plans, manning phones etc - Still with me up to now? Brixham would help by taking routine traffic for Falmouth. Now if Brixham receive a mayday while this is ongoing they will drop the routine stuff and work in the same manner as above for their own casualty. Most folk will understand where this is going, although no doubt you won't Bob. Repeat the above process around the UK in the current setup and the eighteen stations can simultaneously handle 18 emergencies. With the new masterplan the two remaining MRCC's at Aberdeen and Solent will be able to simultaneously handle only 8 emergencies. Even if the, as yet untried, super technology you keep harping on about can release a couple of watchkeepers that will only rise to around 10 emergencies at any one time, a serious reduction in front line services.

 

When you talk to folk about this, the hype of ‘Lives will be Lost’ wins round one but as you ask them to look at the issue in depth including the MCA web site consultation / information then people change their stance very quickly and realise that this might well be a long overdue improvement as well as saving money for the tax payer.

 

I'm sure they do if you're filling their heads with the mince that's birling around in yours. Please refrain from explaining your version of how the process will work in your view - your view is garbage and the more people you supply wrong, indeed false, information to, the more chance lives will be put at risk.

[big_cod]

Just found this video of you talking at one of your IFCA meetings, Bob.

 

 

 

Bloody hell.

 

paul.

[Bob Shotter]

Seafoods

 

Many thanks for explaining what actually goes on when at one of the stations when there is an emergency however you have done no more than dot the i's and crossed the t's and tried to make me look stupid when frankly I'm not. In actual fact you have just caused even more worry with regard the current set up, as if you have your four watch keepers engaged with and emergency what happens should a second one happen in the stations watch area while the first one is on going. All four watch keepers tied up when you could have eleven more on hand?

 

The question remains how often are we likely to see 18 emergencies all at the same time around the country. The management will have looked at what they see as a worse case scenario surely while drawing up these improvements, or are you saying they are that incompetent.

 

For my part I have based my comments on what the MCA have said and the info on their web site as you know and if you think I'm a pain in the butt just wait and see what the politicians make of your argument. Suggesting their lack of knowledge is mince burling around in their head and their view is garbage and is wrong and will cost lives will not help your cause.

 

Cheers Bob

Edited January 6, 2011 by Deene'0

[SandTiger]

Davey when I first mentioned writing to the minister I did say that I would post a copy along with any reply, as I firmly believe in being open and transparent.

 

Further more I'm open to changing my mind should the evidence be there to support your fears. This then leaves me with the dilemma in how to word a letter in which the points I listed in post 85 have been answered in the Q&A section here >>> http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/s...ltation-q_a.htm

As it stands I can only remind the minister of a strong amount of distrust. Steve C suggested I do it in relation to

RSA-UK which regrettably is not yet running and would with the voting system be the only certain way to know if your claim of a majority with in a small group of RSA is indeed correct. Believe me I have spoken to many who don't post here that support these changes.

 

If there are any points you feel might help persuade the minister to think again then let's have them out in the open. That would be far more productive than resorting to name calling would it not?

 

Tight Lines Bob

 

 

Well get writing then Bob,

 

We're not interested in your personal dilemmas but only how you will represent the majority view, despite your own minority feelings.

 

You know all our thoughts on the subject and so it is not open for you to now attempt to back peddle and ask for points from us, that have already been given.

 

Chop, f u k ing Chop, Bob - Lets have your letter.

Edited January 6, 2011 by SandTiger

[seafoods]

Seafoods

 

Many thanks for explaining what actually goes on when at one of the stations when there is an emergency however you have done no more than dot the i's and crossed the t's and tried to make me look stupid when frankly I'm not. In actual fact you have just caused even more worry with regard the current set up, as if you have your four watch keepers engaged with and emergency what happens should a second one happen in the stations watch area while the first one is on going. All four watch keepers tied up when you could have eleven more on hand?

 

Their partner station takes the second one - then you have two emergencies being handled in the local area by local watchkeepers with local knowledge.

 

The question remains how often are we likely to see 18 emergencies all at the same time around the country. The management will have looked at what they see as a worse case scenario surely while drawing up these improvements, or are you saying they are that incompetent.

 

I am saying they have been told to find cost savings by some clueless civil servant who has convinced his clueless minister it's a good idea

 

For my part I have based my comments on what the MCA have said and the info on their web site as you know and if you think I'm a pain in the butt just wait and see what the politicians make of your argument. Suggesting their lack of knowledge is mince burling around in their head and their view is garbage and is wrong and will cost lives will not help your cause.

 

Cheers Bob

 

They normally turn red and splutter when you put proof on the table that they are talking ****s.

[SandTiger]

...

 

Out of interest Nigel Hodge who skippers one of the boats I use regularly, always calls the coast guard and lets them know when we go out, how many are on board and our estimated time of return. Now if the fishing is good, Nigel will stay out longer than planed often by some hours. I have never yet heard the coast guard call after the given return time to see if all is well.

 

Further more the only other skipper I know who calls the coast guard on departure is Malcolm Rickard on Misty Lady on one trip with him from the river Hamble we encountered an unexpected change in the weather which meant we had to take much longer to get back home, again no call from the Solent coast guard who had continued with routine traffic.

 

 

Spoken like a true land lubber, next you'll be criticising them for not spoon feeding you and wiping your ass. A truely pathetic post Bob. Was your spincther going ten to the dozen during your lumpy ride home?

[Jaffa]

First of all, Chris, I really don't understand your way of thinking, so your post makes little sense to me.

 

Second, I don't know of any small fire station that only responds to 4 incidents a year. Do you? I don't think you do. The vast majority of small fire stations in the sticks are retained, anyway.

 

Lastly, serves who? The public, Chris, that's who. Even those who happen to live in remote areas.

 

Who is this "public" then?

 

Your right, the fire-station i was thinking about (http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/article/6081/quiet-balmossie-fire-station-row-reopens.html) apparently does 4 call outs to real fires in 3 mths, rather than the 4 "incidents" in a year i mentioned. Thing is its within 5 mins of a huge station with all the gear and the only reason (imho) its still alive is that it happens to be situated among those very vocal on what the "public" are. Guess they would also describe anythting they are not as "the sticks?"

 

Chris