Marine Forum

UK Coastguard in peril

Quarffie

30 December 2010 17:25:37

Joined: 26 December 2010 22:31:15 | Posts: 7

Hello all, I'd like a few moments of your time ...

You may have heard the UK Government annoucement on the 16 December regarding the "Modernisation of the Coastguard". The proposal is along these lines:
[b]COASTGUARD STATIONS SET TO BE SLASHED

Ten of the UK's 18 round-the-clock coastguard centres are due to close as part of planned cuts to the service. Five remaining sites will operate just during daylight, with the only 24-hour centres planned for Aberdeen, Dover and the Southampton/Portsmouth area.
The cuts raise concerns about safety around the UK's coastline.
[/b]

Rescue's will be co-ordinated from the one of the two MOCs at Aberdeen and Southampton/Portsmouth while Dover will police the Dover Straits.
The local communities (and staff) at the closing stations and "day" stations are naturally alarmed at the proposal. The consultation document assumes that staff at the existing stations will move to the new MOCs, I can assure you that a significant number either cannot or do not want to move, meaning the person trying to run [i]your[/i] rescue may be very inexperienced, without an experienced colleague to refer to.
The consultation also infers that local knowledge will be unaffected as it is held by the lifeboat crews and rescue teams on the coast, this is only partially true: as a simple example I offer you "Start Point" headland, I am aware of 2 and there are probably more. Of the 2 I know of, one is in Orkney and one in Devon; imaging the Torbay lifeboat being launched to your boat 5 miles off Start Point .... when you are in the Orkney Islands. My point is, local knowledge is important as the MRCC Coastguard Officer (as it is now) knows their District whereas it will be impossible for the the MOC [i]operator[/i] (as it will be if the proposal succeeds) to know their 'district' - i.e. the entire UK, so they won't even know which team or lifeboat to call to clarify or obtain further local knowledge. Besides which, when someone is in distress - sinking perhaps, the [i]last[/i] thing to be doing is phoning round people asking them whether the boat (or casualty) is in their bit of sea.

OK end rant as I'm starting to ramble, I think.

See more here..

news link; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12007031
MCA consultation document: http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/m.....n_2010.htm [b]PLEASE COMPLETE THE CONSULTATION RESPONSE FORM[/b]
A National petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/ukcghq/petition.html
And as I'm currently in the North, a station petition for here: http://www.gopetition.com/petition/41468.html

You can see more about us in the north here: www.shetlandcoastguard.info

And if you've specific questions, mail us (me) here: soscg@shetlandcoastguard.info


I'll end with this quote from the consultation document...
============================================== “our coastline far busier than ever before…………..much larger ships that are less manoeuvrable……..our seas becoming much more congested……….weather conditions are also becoming more extreme………work at sea more perilous and increasing risk coastal flooding”

MCA. Protecting our seas and shores in the 21st century. November 2010
==============================================
[b]PROPOSED ANSWER : SLASH THE COASTGUARD[/b]

thanks for listening,

~ Quarffie

Re: UK Coastguard in peril

Anonymous user

06 February 2011 10:48:57

Joined: Unknown | Posts: Unknown

I think one of the important, if not critical, things for me is on the local knowledge issue. Yes sure you can use google maps etc - as our CE beleives, and he has more faith in them than I do.... but the "crunch" point is name duplication/repetition. Now based at Shetland, there are maybe a dozen 'Sandwicks'. From previous station I know of 2 major headlands - Start Point - one near Brixham and the other in Orkney. The point is, name duplication is fairly common.
Now... imagine being sat in the MOC on the end of a broken radio call "FV Lapwing ... sinking off black rock" ... no further comms.
Google tells me there are 27 black rocks in my half of the UK (my "District") and a further 32 in the other half.
OK, I'll try and pin down the Lapwing.... ah, the database says there are 263 of them, based all round the UK. damn
No problem, I'll phone the "on call" coastal safety team member (as detailed in the MCA proposal).. if I can get them, else I'll phone each lifeboat Coxn, or each CG rescue team station officer that has a black rock in their patch, with luck some of them will have a FV Lapwing too... oh damn (again) .... I've discounted ONE black rock, I've still another 26 to go, and it's already taken me 10 minutes since the original radio call to discount one of them. Oh well, keep treading water, we'll find you ...... eventually; it's just a process of elimination

Re: UK Coastguard in peril

Quarffie

09 February 2011 16:59:34

Joined: 26 December 2010 22:31:15 | Posts: 7

Thanks .

It is a serious issue although I'm trying to keep it light-ish.

I realise we (the CG) need to take a hit along with other public organisations and obviously there is an issue over employment, but that aside I still thin the primary issue is the safety of 'small boat' (no offence) and coastal users, the consultation seems to have very little regard for what will happen with them, whilst at the same time it shouts the praises of EPIRBs and SARTS, DSC, GPS etc

The campaign is rolling...
This week for example the delegation of councils (Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles & Highlands) met with the shipping minister (Mike Penning) in London, to be honest I've not heard directly back from them as to how that went, but I understand Mr Penning listened intently and seemed to take their concerns on-board.
In addition the MCA CE (Sir Alan Massey) and 2 Directors went before the Westminster Transport Select Committee yesterday, it was supposed to be a routine fixture about the general running of the Agency but they kicked off by asking about the "consultation" (which was good) and spent most of the hour and 40 minutes focussing on that; I don't think they were that impressed, but we will have to see.
The CE is visiting the MRCC in Lerwick on Friday so hopefully we will get some answers from him - previous visits from senior managers have told us nothing.

Other stations (MRCC) are conducting their own campaigns too, it seems to work better this way than have one National campaign - although we are all sharing ideas etc, and agreed not to play into the Governments hands by fighting with each other for survival.

We have an online petition (here: http://www.gopetition.com/petition/41468.html ) which has about 2600 signatures, and a paper one, of those that have come back so far there are about 3600 signatures... so current total is about 6400 - and there are more to come in.
An excellant demonstration of how people feel, but more would be appreciated!

Other things you can get involved in...
our main campaign site is www.saveshetlandcoastguard.com - there are links to facebook, twitter, petition, downloadable poster etc all avail there.
What would make a difference is that if people write to their MP and protest... there is a template letter on our campaign website, or the PCS union (that represents us) also have a version, available from their website (www.pcs.org.uk) or direct link: http://e-activist.com/ea-campaign/cl...0%20%20%209223
importantif you can to send feedback to the consultation too, available on the MCA website (www.mcga.gov.uk) as this, MP letters and the petition are the things that will really make the decision makers take notice.

If you know of anyone who has problems accessing any of the online stuff, or maybe doesn't have internet at all, you can give us a ring at the MRCC
(01595 692976) and we will sort something out.

Finally, we're contactable by email too... soscg@shetlandcoastguard.info

Re: UK Coastguard in peril

Quarffie

28 March 2011 21:15:03

Joined: 26 December 2010 22:31:15 | Posts: 7

PUBLIC PRESSURE

Save Shetland Coastguard believe the public pressure has been a major factor in the Shipping Minister making his recent announcement in parliament of a six week extension to the MCA Consultation Process now ending on 5th May.
Given the extra 6 weeks we are now looking for additional assistance with the next part of the Campaign.

The Transport Select Committee have ordered a full Inquiry into the MCA Proposals to Modernise the Coastguard, including the scrapping of the ETV’s (Emergency Tugs) and the removal of the MIRG (Offshore Fire-fighters). Organisations and individuals intending to submit written evidence to the Committee’s inquiry are encouraged to do so promptly. Submissions received before 12 April 2011 will be particularly helpful in assisting the Committee in its work, although evidence will continue to be accepted until 26 April.
Submissions should be made be email to transev@parliament.uk or posted to Transport Committee, 7 Millbank, House of Commons, London, SW1P 3JA

Campaigners would also like as many people as possible to protest to their Westminster MP (Orkney & Shetland – Alistair Carmichael), if they are unsure how, www.findyourmp.parliament.uk will give contact information.
Anybody who would like to help further, would like information to assist you in your submission to the Transport Select Committee or would just like to be kept up-to-date with the local and national campaign(s) to save Her Majesty’s Coastguard (HMCG) from the Governments draconian cuts to this vital emergency service, please contact us by email at soscg@shetlandcoastguard.info or saveshetlandcoastguard@gmail.com

Ultimately the campaign is concerned with the safety of everybody at sea or on the coast if the cuts are allowed to go ahead. The MCA claim the Coastguard service will be improved however, there is no compelling evidence to support this claim. We are not against modernising and improving the Coastguard service but we do not agree with the MCA managers – it is not the right plan for the UK.

Re: UK Coastguard in peril

Quarffie

01 August 2011 11:53:30

Joined: 26 December 2010 22:31:15 | Posts: 7

hi all.

As you may already be aware the Government announced a revised modernisation proposal in late June; this revision now abandonds the idea of part time emergency co-ordination centres ("day light" centres) and has a smaller reduction in the number of MRCCs (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres) closing, when compared to the original plan. Also, instead of two Marine Operation Centres (MOCs) there is now proposed to be just one (in the Southampton/Portsmouth area), each remaining MRCC will run operations in it's own area while the MOC can provide back up if required... a much more sensible plan.
The Coastguard officers in the MRCCs are not stupid though we realise that in all probability we have only achieved a delay, maybe 5 or 10 years, in the inevitable plan - i.e. 2 MOCs running the entire UK.
In addition, there are still a significant number of stations (MRCCs) marked for closeure this time around: Forth, Thames, Solent, Portland, Brixham, Swansea, Liverpool, Clyde.

A completely new segment of this revised proposal also makes all serving operational Coastguard officers in MRCCs redundant, and forcing those that want to stay into reapplying for their own jobs.
It is concievable that a high number of experienced officers will not bother, having been treated with contempt by the 'authors' of the MCAs plan, and top levels of management in the agency a lot of us have had enough, morale is non-existant. Possibly the coastguard of the near future will be staffed by less qualified, less experienced people.
Personally I'm waiting it out until I see the final plan in the autumn but I am aware of quite a few people leaving already.

This current revised proposal is "under consultation" until the autumn - see www.mcga.gov.uk if you want the details.

thanks, Quarffie

Re: UK Coastguard in peril

Quarffie

01 August 2011 11:53:33

Joined: 26 December 2010 22:31:15 | Posts: 7

hi all.

As you may already be aware the Government announced a revised modernisation proposal in late June; this revision now abandonds the idea of part time emergency co-ordination centres ("day light" centres) and has a smaller reduction in the number of MRCCs (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres) closing, when compared to the original plan. Also, instead of two Marine Operation Centres (MOCs) there is now proposed to be just one (in the Southampton/Portsmouth area), each remaining MRCC will run operations in it's own area while the MOC can provide back up if required... a much more sensible plan.
The Coastguard officers in the MRCCs are not stupid though we realise that in all probability we have only achieved a delay, maybe 5 or 10 years, in the inevitable plan - i.e. 2 MOCs running the entire UK.
In addition, there are still a significant number of stations (MRCCs) marked for closeure this time around: Forth, Thames, Solent, Portland, Brixham, Swansea, Liverpool, Clyde.

A completely new segment of this revised proposal also makes all serving operational Coastguard officers in MRCCs redundant, and forcing those that want to stay into reapplying for their own jobs.
It is concievable that a high number of experienced officers will not bother, having been treated with contempt by the 'authors' of the MCAs plan, and top levels of management in the agency a lot of us have had enough, morale is non-existant. Possibly the coastguard of the near future will be staffed by less qualified, less experienced people.
Personally I'm waiting it out until I see the final plan in the autumn but I am aware of quite a few people leaving already.

This current revised proposal is "under consultation" until the autumn - see www.mcga.gov.uk if you want the details.

thanks, Quarffie

Re: UK Coastguard in peril

Quarffie

01 August 2011 11:54:30

Joined: 26 December 2010 22:31:15 | Posts: 7

sorry for the double post

Re: UK Coastguard in peril

Quarffie

01 August 2011 12:05:43

Joined: 26 December 2010 22:31:15 | Posts: 7

Edit - date & spelling
sorry again for duplicate posts