RNLI Statisitics

 

24 January 2010

Weston-super-Mare

RNLI Lifeboat Station has busy year

 

The figures for the Somerset RNLI lifeboat launches and

lives saved for 2009 have been issued. Weston-super-Mare RNLI lifeboat station

on Birnbeck Island and its volunteer crews launched 50 times to aid those in

danger for the sea.

 

2009 was a busy year for our volunteer crews over the whole

of the South West. Weston-super-Mare RNLI had more “shouts” than in recent

years saving over 13 lives.

 

Somerset – 2009

Station                 

Launches 09       Launches

08       Rescued

09         Rescued 08

W s

M                  

50                          

43                          

13                          

23

B o

S                     

31                          

26                          

8                             

9

Minehead          

25                          

22                          

9                             

8

Totals                   

106                        

91                          

40                          

40

 

Weston-super-Mare Lifeboat Operations Manager, Pete Holder

said;

“In spite of the poor weather during the main summer holiday

period, Weston-super-Mare remained the busiest RNLI lifeboat station on the

Somerset coast with a total of 50 launches on service. Had the weather been

warmer and more settled then without doubt a great deal more people would have

ventured out onto the water and mudflats which in turn would have resulted in

an increased number of call outs. It is also pleasing to note that the ongoing

RNLI sea safety initiatives together with the youth education strategy appears

to be having a positive effect on the general public’s approach to beach and

water safety”

 

The RNLI national sea safety team offer six key pieces of

advice for people heading onto the water – under the title It’s Wet:

Inform – tell others

where you are going

73 launches in 2009 were to

people cut off by the tide

Training – knowledge of your

activity is essentialSOS Device – carry a

means of calling for helpWear a lifejacket – a

life statement, not a fashion one – wear it!

There were 101 shouts to

capsizes and 88 to people in danger of drowning

Engine and fuel check –

have you sufficient fuel and spares?

307 shouts were to vessels

with machinery failure 

33 call outs in 2009 were to

vessels out of fuel 

Tides and weather –

check the conditions before you head out.