Lifeboats gather in the Solent to share emergency rescue experience
Lifeboats gathered in the Solent
If you were checking boat movements in the Solent last week, you may have wondered what was happening as several local lifeboats gathered together on Tuesday evening. Fortunately, this was not an emergency - it was a fantastic initiative organised by HM Coastguard National Network Commander, Tom Barnett.
Interagency events, such as this, are vital as they give local rescue teams the chance to meet face to face, build relationships, and better understand each other’s capabilities and how the different craft and teams operate in practice. Having a shared understanding not only strengthens their response; it improves how they support the local community when it matters most.
If you were out on the water, you will have seen seven lifeboats heading to Gosport Marina, which was a rare sight. Around 100 personnel from the various emergency services gathered at the marina to share their knowledge and experience and explore some of the lifeboats used by Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (GAFIRS), Portsmouth and Southsea Voluntary Lifeguards (Portsea Rescue), Ryde Rescue, RNLI Bembridge and RNLI Portsmouth.
Darren Taylor-Lane, Community Director for GAFIRS said, “A huge thank you to everyone involved. We are continually learning from each other - and working together, training together, and understanding each other’s capabilities helps to ensure that, when we receive an emergency call, we can all provide the very best response possible. Thank you to Premier Marinas in Gosport for allowing us to use their berths and facilities for the event.”
The joint event also provided a valuable opportunity for representatives from Bristow, Lee on the Solent Flight (Rescue 375) and teams from the South Central Ambulance Service and Hampshire Police to have a closer look at the lifesaving vessels, along with a Ministry of Defence Police Rib.
They were able to step aboard, explore the vessels, and gain a better understanding of their size and capabilities, and see the challenges faced by volunteer lifeboat crews. They explored the GAFIRS’ 9m lifeboat, Joan Dora Fuller and 4.8m inshore lifeboat, Ian Fuller, Portsmouth RNLI’s Norma T – a 27.7ft Atlantic 85 inshore boat, small inshore ribs used by Ryde Rescue and Portsea Rescue and Bembridge RNLI’s Alfred Albert Williams – a much larger, 53ft Tamar class boat with a survival cabin.
The evening was a huge success, strengthening relationships between the emergency services and volunteer rescue organisations and one of the biggest talking points was the survival cabin aboard the Bembridge lifeboat, which attracted plenty of interest and discussion. Sian Barnett, South East Hampshire Head of Operations for South Central Ambulance Service said, “Exercises like this help our teams better understand partner capabilities, particularly in coastal incidents where we may be called to support.
Strengthening these relationships in advance means we can make more informed decisions when responding to incidents, improving patient outcomes. It also reinforces the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles in practice, helping us to communicate effectively, share situational awareness, and integrate seamlessly with our partners at the scene. We are grateful to HM Coastguard for organising such a valuable event.”
The Solent is one of the busiest stretches of water in the UK and HM Coastguard and volunteers from the RNLI, GAFIRS, Portsmouth and Southsea Voluntary Lifeguards and Ryde Rescue dealt with hundreds of emergencies last year. They have already responded to numerous emergencies this year and are ready to respond 24 hours a day, throughout the year. They are all charities which are always in need of donations, and they hold a variety of fundraising and community events during the year, including Open Days. You can find details of events and how to donate on their websites and social media channels.