RNLI’s fast boats and highly trained volunteers always race to the rescue

I WISH to expand on the reference to the RNLI in Peter Levy’s column headlined ‘Beach safety demands a closer look’ (Irish Examiner County supplement, June 17).

If it were possible to have a boat or beach rescue officer on every pier, beach or promontory on the coast, I would say ‘bravo’.

I have been involved with and followed the fortunes of the RNLI now for some 60 years.

The institution’s running costs in Ireland are in the region of €13 million per annum. The Government gives a donation of €175,000. The latest figures I have to hand for fundraising in Ireland are for 2006 when €2,670,294 was raised in the Republic and £488,023 in the North. Since 1980, some 25 stations have been opened or reopened. Several stations have been equipped with a second lifeboat. To cope with the changing nature of marine leisure and beach visits, the RNLI introduced fast inshore lifeboats in the early 1960s.

This decision was to emulate a Brittany-based lifeboat society. Some 27of the latest version of these boats are now in service in Ireland.

These include the Inland Waterways’ lifeboats at Enniskillen and at Dromineer in Co Tipperary. These are fast, versatile, powerful boats which can be launched in minutes. In addition to the boats there is a comprehensive training regime at the stations, with professional coast staff, and at the Lifeboat Training College in Poole in Dorset. This demands a huge commitment by the volunteers who are the backbone of the crews and they are trained to a very high level of competence and proficiency. The RNLI also has sea safety officers at their stations. Sea safety advice, as well as leaflets and CDs, are available to boat users and beach users. They are also involved in the production of safety leaflets with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, the Irish Coastguard, Irish Water Safety, Irish Sailing Association and BIM. While it is true that the RNLI in Ireland predates the foundation of the State, the service provided today is light years — let alone 86 years — away from the service of those days.

Beach safety would perhaps benefit greatly from a personal responsibility and availing of safety advice in advance of visits to the seaside.

Dick Robinson

5 Corrovorrin Ave

Ennis

Co Clare