? Future of Search and Rescue Service

[nursejudy]

This caught my eye in todays Yorkshire Post

 

 

 

 

 

Yorkshire rescue base may be hit in £40m helicopter dealGrace Hammond

An announcement on the future of search and rescue helicopter services is due next month, officials said yesterday amid fresh fears over possible privatisation plans and RAF base closures.A report claimed that the Treasury is pushing plans for a new unified search and rescue (SAR) service to replace RAF, Royal Navy and coastguard helicopters with civilian aircraft and crew.

The report said American-owned company Bristow and Canadian-based CHC Helicopters were favourites to win a £40m-a-year contract, possibly running for 25 years, when bids are sought next year.

Among the bases from which the RAF operates search and rescue services is Leconfield, near Beverley, from which crews have responded to countless emergency calls usually at sea although also inland, saving thousands of lives over the years.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) last night refused to comment on reports that the changes could see the sale of teams at 12 bases, from Sumburgh in Shetland to Portland in Dorset.

With the MoD looking to replace its ageing Sea King helicopters, a joint steering group involving the MCA has been examining the future make-up of all SAR helicopter services.

A military source said that the provision of helicopters, crews, training, maintenance and operation of rescue centres were all "up for grabs".

About 97 out of every 100 emergency operations involving RAF and Navy helicopters involve saving civilians, even though their primary purpose is for military search and rescue.

However, Tim Walker, director of the Glenmore Lodge national mountain training centre, said RAF crews would lose "essential training" if no longer involved in civilian rescues.

He said: "A first-class rescue network, involving a strong bond between the RAF and voluntary mountain rescue teams, has built up. I would be a concerned if that, in any way, this was going to be undermined by unnecessary changes.

"I hope those taking the decision recognise the huge value of the current service and conclude it can't get

any better and so leave it alone."

The MoD refused to comment in detail. "We are currently considering the best ways of continuing to provide a top-class search and rescue service."17 April 2006« Previous PageNext »Page 1 of 1

[nursejudy]

I thought given a lot of fishermen are rescued when in difficulties,I thought there might be some interest in this.......what next coastguards!!!

[Newt]

I was more than a little surprised by the lack of comment too Judy. Some things just should not be 'privatized' and IMO, this is one of them.

 

That being said, the bulk of our SAR now belongs to the Coast Guard other than the Navy doing their own.

[kleinboet]

ALL HAIL TO THIS GOVERNMENT??????? When people start dying through the closing of hospitals, the "amalgamation" of police forces and now this outrage, the only answer we will get is "we never realised" and then they hide behind their immunity!!!

[Sportsman]

Bristow have been running the Coastguard helicopters for some time. Technically there is no reason why a privatised service, properly funded and run can not offer a service every bit as good as the one we currently have. It is likely that it would consist of the same pilots and crew in better, or more modern helicopters, based in more or less the same areas. The problems would occur if, as a cost cutting exercise, the number of bases and helicopters was reduced overall. I am involved in training for Mountain Rescue as well as Marine Rescue in the North Sea and have worked with crews of all of the services, and the most important asset we have are the people!

[Ken L]

Technically there is no reason why a privatised service, properly funded and run can not offer a service every bit as good as the one we currently have.

 

I confess that I'm not quite sure how you can skim a profit off the top and pay another group of people will will have to manage the contract a salary and still end up with better kit and a better service for the same money.

Every experience of privatisation I've ever seen would indicate that the exact oposite is true.

[Elton]

There's a similar news story in Suffolk.

 

I would have thought that it made sense to use the RAF, as they are 'there' and it keeps them in training.

[Sportsman]

I confess that I'm not quite sure how you can skim a profit off the top and pay another group of people will will have to manage the contract a salary and still end up with better kit and a better service for the same money.

Every experience of privatisation I've ever seen would indicate that the exact oposite is true.

 

I didn't say they would I said they could. The Sea Kings currently in use have airframes going back to the 60s and are becoming increasingly more expensive to run and maintain. Someone is going to have to spend some money soon.

Have a look here:

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-hm_coast...rmonisation.htm