On Fri, 6 May 2005 02:00:22 +0100, Dave H wrote:
>> In a word, yes. Not to mention fast boats and call out maroons so
>> *every body* knows the lifeboat is going out. Far "sexier" profile
>> than a couple of Land Rovers and a load of people going for a walk
>> up a hill.
>
> Interesting choice of comparisons Dave. I thought maroons had long
> gone and its all pager/radio call outs now.
The primary call out may well be pager these days but I think they
still fire the maroons so the support staff know and can make their
way to the station (get the kettle on for when the boat comes back
in...) and also to let people know that that lunatic driving with all
his lights on and barging through the traffic isn't really a lunatic
but a volunteer lifeboat man trying to get to the lifeboat station.
Says him having met a couple of the local retained firemen coming the
other way on a wet night and was left wondering who those plonkers
were. It wasn't until I saw the Fire/Rescue tender driving around 10
mins later that I realised who it was...
> Yes, you may see the boat depart the moorings but then thats it, its
> just a dot on the horizon.
Yes, but it's all happening fast, with lots of people "doing things",
normally in a fairly open public place (harbour or beach front). Not a
deserted, wet, wind swept car park half way up a mountain. Bolton may
be different as it's a *very* densly populated area compared to here.
> To me a MR incident is far sexier with a blue light run in the 110
> ambulances, driving off road to get to the casualty, a helicopter
> coming in to land, watched by 300 people.
Yes but I get the feeling you are in the 110 and directly involved,
that *is* much more exciting that standing watching. The helo will
pull people in but round here all you'll see of that is it flying
in/out more often than not it's a RAF SAR helo rather than the Air
Ambulance so doesn't need to land to pick up...
>> Perhaps a rebranding is in order?
>
> Unfortunately every one affiliated to the Mountain Rescue Council
> changed their names to help MR corporate image, all the fell rescue,
> search and rescue, moorland rescue became Mountain Rescue, trying to
> help the public be aware of who Mountain Rescue is, but i don't
> think it worked 
I think you are right. No doubt someone, with blinkers, at the top of
MRC wanted to retain the word "Mountain" a mistake IMHO. A quick look
at the ALSAR site indicated that there is an offical goverment body
called UKSAR so that couldn't be used but SARUK could and that does
have certain "ring" to it and sounds good when spoken.
> But still no-one says where is the sea in City centre Manchester
> when the RNLI tin gets full.
But I bet the great unwashed of Manchester visit the coast and see the
lifeboat station. Chances are it's probably open so they can look at
the boat and the information boards etc. They may also witness a
launch, even if only a practice for the publicity...
The same great unwashed may well visit the "mountains" but Mountain
Rescue posts are generally closed and locked up and not in such highly
public places.
> I'll get me coat
Had a call out? B-)
--
Cheers
[email protected]
Dave. pam is missing e-mail
