Royal National Lifeboat Institution

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Swanage lifeboat being winched up its slipway
Swanage lifeboat being winched up its slipway

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a charity based in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland dedicated to saving lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland. It is largely a volunteer organisation and was founded on 4 March 1824 as the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, adopting the present name in 1854. The organisation is funded entirely by membership fees, voluntary donations and legacies from members of the public. Its headquarters are in Poole, Dorset, along with its new training college which was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004.

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[edit] The founder, Sir William Hillary

Sir William Hillary came to live on the Isle of Man in 1808. He soon became aware of the treacherous nature of the Irish Sea, with many ships being wrecked around the Manx coast. He drew up plans for a national lifeboat service manned by trained crews. Initially he received little response from the Admiralty but on appealing to the more philanthropic members of London society, the plans were enthusiastically adopted and the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck was founded in 1824. The title changed 30 years later to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the first of the new lifeboats to be built was stationed at Douglas in recognition of the work of Sir William.

At the age of 60, Sir William took part in the rescue, in 1830, of the packet St George, which had foundered on Conister Rock at the entrance to Douglas harbour. He commanded the lifeboat, was washed overboard with others of the lifeboat crew, yet finally everyone aboard the St George was rescued with no loss of life.

It was this incident which prompted Sir William to set up a scheme to build The Tower of Refuge on Conister Rock - a project completed in 1832 which stands to this day at the entrance to Douglas harbour.[1][2]

Severn class lifeboat in Poole Harbour, Dorset, England. This is the largest class of UK lifeboat at 17 metres long
Severn class lifeboat in Poole Harbour, Dorset, England. This is the largest class of UK lifeboat at 17 metres long

[edit] The RNLI in action

Since the RNLI was founded, its lifeboats have saved over 137,000 lives (as of November 2006).[3]

The RNLI operates 5 classes of inshore lifeboats, both inflatable boats and RIBs, of 20-40 knots (37-74 km/h), and 6 classes of all-weather motor life boats with maximum speeds of 16-25 knots (30-46 km/h). It maintains an active fleet of 332 lifeboats based at 233 lifeboat stations. It also has an active fleet of 4 hovercraft introduced in 2002 allowing rescue in mud flats and river estuaries inaccessible to conventional boats. The crews of the lifeboats are almost entirely volunteers, the 4,600 sea-going crew members, including over 300 women are alerted by pagers backed up by maroons and attend the lifeboat station when alerted.

The Humber lifeboat station at Spurn Point, East Riding of Yorkshire is one of only two full time lifeboat stations in the UK (the other being Waterloo Pier, on the River Thames in London). The crew live in a few houses on Spurn Point which in bad weather can be cut off from the mainland. The other occupants of Spurn Point are Associated British Ports who man their Vessel Traffic Service control tower 24 hours a day 365 days a year along with the lifeboat crew.

The RNLI also operates 59 Beach Lifeguard Units in the South West of England employing over 300 lifeguards.

In the United Kingdom, ships in distress or the public reporting an accident must contact HM Coastguard on MF radio (frequency 2182 kHz), VHF radio (Channel 16) or by telephoning 999 or 112. In the Republic of Ireland they must contact the Irish Coast Guard, or telephone 112 or 999. The Coastguard co-ordinates rescue at sea and may call on the RNLI (or other lifeboats) or their own land-based rescue personnel or rescue helicopters to take part. Air-Sea rescue helicopters are provided by the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy, the Marine & Coastguard Agency (HM Coastguard), the United States Air Force, and the Irish Air Corps.

[edit] Classes of lifeboats in service

A typical RNLI station, at Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales
A typical RNLI station, at Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales

Main category: Classes of RNLI lifeboats.

The RNLI has two main categories of lifeboat:

  • All weather boats - Large boats that are capable of high speed in extreme weather conditions and have a large range.
  • Inshore lifeboats - Smaller boats that operate closer to the shore than all weather boats and are able to operate in shallower waters and closer to cliffs.

[edit] Biggest RNLI rescue

The biggest rescue in the RNLI's history was 17 March 1907 when the 12,000 tonne liner SS Suevic hit the Maenheere Reef near Lizard Point in Cornwall. In a strong gale and dense fog RNLI lifeboat volunteers rescued 456 passengers, including 70 babies. Crews from The Lizard, Cadgwith, Coverack and Porthleven rowed out repeatedly for 16 hours to rescue all of the people on board. Six silver RNLI medals were later awarded, two to SS Suevic crew members.[4]

[edit] Roll of honour

Over the years, many members of boat and launching crews have been killed during or died as a result of lifeboat operations. Heavier loses of life included:

  • 1899 - In one of the RNLI's most legendary feats, the Lynmouth lifeboat Louisa was hauled overland over Exmoor for over 10 hours to Porlock to go to the aid of a ship. On arrival she was launched immediately and stood by the stricken ship until daybreak, when a tug arrived.
  • 1928 - The Rye Harbour lifeboat disaster, in which the Mary Stanford was capsized and 17 men lost their lives.
  • 1959 - All 8 crew of the Broughty Ferry lifeboat died while attempting to rescue the North Carr lightship
  • 1981 - The Penlee lifeboat Solomon Browne was lost, with all 8 crew, going to the aid of the freighter Union Star. A total of 16 lives were lost - there were no survivors and only 8 bodies were recovered. (See Penlee lifeboat disaster).

[edit] See also

Cartoon celebrating the RNLI, on the occasion of Queen Victoria conveying her appreciation to the crews of the lifeboats of Atherfield, Brightstone, and Brooke, of their gallant conduct in saving the crew and passengers of the steamship Eider. From Punch magazine Vol. 102, Feb. 13, 1892.
Cartoon celebrating the RNLI, on the occasion of Queen Victoria conveying her appreciation to the crews of the lifeboats of Atherfield, Brightstone, and Brooke, of their gallant conduct in saving the crew and passengers of the steamship Eider. From Punch magazine Vol. 102, Feb. 13, 1892.

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.isle-of-man.com/information/thetowerofrefuge.shtml/.
  2. ^ Source: Visit Isle of Man.
  3. ^ RNLI Official Website
  4. ^ BBC news - Biggest RNLI rescue is remembered

[edit] External links

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