<\/p>\n
The story in last months WWO about our local lifeboat crews and stations was just to whet your appetites about the local RNLI. Most of you will have viewed BBC2\u2019s programme \u201cSaving Lives At Sea\u201d about the day-to-day work of the RNLI but I thought it\u2019d be a bit more interesting to find out about what goes on behind-the-scenes of the RNLI. How does it operate? What equipment does it use? Where are our local stations? What have they recently responded to? And more importantly who are those volunteers who press \u2018pause\u2019 on their lives to respond in times of need.<\/p>\n
So firstly a pen picture of the RNLI \u2013 it was formed in 1824 by Sir William Hillary and since that time has saved an incredible 142,200 lives. It is 100% a charitable organisation receiving no support whatsoever from either the UK nor Irish governments and is wholly dependant on voluntary donations. It costs over \u00a3177 million to run the RNLI including its 238 stations strategically located around the entire coast of the UK and Ireland and its UK HQ base in Poole. It is staffed by about 4,600 people mostly volunteers from local communities who undertake a multitude of tasks within and across the RNLI and keep the \u2018oils wheeled\u2019 and the propellers turning!<\/p>\n
Locally there are 3 RNLI lifeboat stations; Barry Dock, Penarth and Porthcawl and each has its own allocated jurisdiction broadly covering the western coast of the entire Severn Estuary. However they all support one another whenever needed so geography is largely irrelevant. Each RNLI station is equipped with boats; equipment and staff according to its specific role. Those stations covering large expanses of ocean and unpredictable, turbulent seas are provided with the larger boats like the Mersey and Trent class whereas those covering inland coastal areas are equipped with smaller, more agile RHIB\u2019s (Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats) like the Atlantic 85 or inflatable such as the D Class. The RNLI also uses craft specifically for unique waterways such as hovercraft for large mudflats and estuaries and the very fast E Class on the Thames. More on those in future articles.<\/p>\n
Locally Barry Dock uses a large Trent class All- Weather Lifeboat named \u201cInner Wheel II\u201d which is moored permanently afloat alongside a floating pontoon in Barry Dock. Penarth and Porthcawl are both equipped with an Atlantic 85 RHIB and a D Class Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) which are kept in purpose built lifeboat stations on their respective seafronts. Recently however Barry Dock has also been upgraded to a two boat station with the allocation of a further D Class ILB. Again, more of that in future articles.<\/p>\n
So, that just starts to paint the picture of what is a fascinating organisation with an amazing history staffed by incredible people and brilliantly capable equipment. If you want to find out more feel free to visit the excellent RNLI website at www.rnli.org<\/p>\n
where you can read about everything RNLI.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead I will hopefully provide photos and updates on rescues (or \u201cShouts\u201d as they\u2019re called) and pen pictures of our volunteer crew members who live in our communities here in the Vale Of Glamorgan<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The story in last months WWO about our local lifeboat crews and stations was just to whet your appetites about the local RNLI. Most of you will have viewed BBC2\u2019s programme \u201cSaving Lives At Sea\u201d about the day-to-day work of the RNLI but I thought it\u2019d be a bit more interesting to find out about what goes on behind-the-scenes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[334,127],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6cWjO-1pL","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5500,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=5500","url_meta":{"origin":5441,"position":0},"title":"Barry Dock RNLI Lifeboat Station","author":"Alan Williams","date":"31st January 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Barry Dock RNLI Lifeboat Station is discreetly located in what\u2019s called \u2018The Outer Harbour\u2019 which is next to Jacksons Bay on Barry Island. Unlike many other RNLI stations it is not an imposing building on the seafront, nor does it have any wonderful or imaginative launch mechanism like a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5240,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=5240","url_meta":{"origin":5441,"position":1},"title":"SUDDEN SINKING","author":"Alan Williams","date":"22nd December 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"SUDDEN SINKING \u00a0 At sea things can go wrong very quickly, as Barry Dock and Penarth lifeboat crews found out on 12th June Kath Fisher couldn\u2019t sleep. Tossing and turning, she thought: \u2018Is this an omen that something\u2019s about to happen?\u2019. At 1.15am her lifeboat pager went off. Volunteers all\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Latest News"","block_context":{"text":"Latest News","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=70"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Untitled-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13750,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=13750","url_meta":{"origin":5441,"position":2},"title":"November Letters","author":"Alan Williams","date":"1st November 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 \u00a0 Dear Editor, I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude to our many friends and neighbours in Wenvoe for their tremendous support following the passing of my husband, Gordon Jones, on September 18, at the age of 86. Your cards, flowers, and messages of support have been a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Letters"","block_context":{"text":"Letters","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=138"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14492,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=14492","url_meta":{"origin":5441,"position":3},"title":"Sully Island","author":"Alan Williams","date":"31st July 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"SULLY ISLAND \u00a0 Most people in Wenvoe will know of Sully Island and many will have visited it, but for those who do not know it, here are some facts about it. It is a small tidal island of 14.5 acres by the hamlet of Swanbridge. It is located 400m\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Readers Articles of Interest"","block_context":{"text":"Readers Articles of Interest","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=228"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14759,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=14759","url_meta":{"origin":5441,"position":4},"title":"Monknash Coastguard Rocket House","author":"Alan Williams","date":"4th October 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"MONKNASH COASTGUARD ROCKET HOUSE \u00a0 Just inland from the top of a precipitous Heritage Coast cliff near the village of Marcross in the Vale of Glamorgan there stands a small stone building with an almost semicircular stone flagged roof. One end of this building is completely open and faces the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Readers Articles of Interest"","block_context":{"text":"Readers Articles of Interest","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=228"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Picture10.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9201,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=9201","url_meta":{"origin":5441,"position":5},"title":"Teacher Adventures: School Trips","author":"Alan Williams","date":"3rd March 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Teacher Adventures: School Trips When adults reminisce about their school days, memories of school trips are often at the forefront of their minds. 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