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Dramatic Boat Race day for Chiswick RNLI
At the
finish of the race, one of the volunteer RNLI Lifeboat crew, Cosmo
Scurr, an A&E doctor, took charge of the initial treatment of
collapsed rower, Alex Woods. This was after crews from Chiswick
Lifeboat station had delivered the swimming protester who halted
Saturday’s boat race, to the police, who boarded the lifeboat and
arrested him.
On
the Oxford & Cambridge University Boat Race days, Chiswick Lifeboat
Station launches two fully manned lifeboats with call signs Chiswick
Lifeboat and Putney Lifeboat. Their main task is to monitor the
crowds on the banks and assist anyone in difficulties as a result of
the wash caused by the following flotilla; in some past years two or
three people have been pulled out of the water.
As
the lifeboat approached Chiswick Eyot a radio call was received from
the Coastguard advising that the race had been stopped due to a
person in the water. Before it was clear that this was a protest,
the Coastguard requested Chiswick Lifeboat to pass through the
flotilla to the Umpire vessel which had the person on board. He was
apparently in good health, and on its arrival was transferred onto
the Lifeboat.
The
Lifeboat made its way to Chiswick Pier where two Police Officers
took the person into custody.
After the race restarted, a clash of oars left the Oxford boat with
only seven effective crew. It is thought that the extra exertion
caused by the effort to continue the race resulted in the collapse
of the Oxford bowman, Alex Woods.
Putney Lifeboat had passed under Chiswick Bridge after the finish
when a supporter’s launch waved for assistance. Two RNLI crew
members with their medical pack gave support to two paramedics and
the Boat Race doctor. Chiswick lifeboat then came alongside
bringing RNLI volunteer crew member Cosmo Scurr, who is an A&E
doctor. The rower was in a distressed state, drifting in and out of
consciousness; Dr Scurr took charge and administered advanced
emergency treatment of the casualty assisted by Helmsman Rob
Archibald and the paramedics. The casualty was transferred to an
ambulance on the stretcher from Putney Lifeboat. RNLI crewman, Dr
Scurr, accompanied Alex Woods to Charing Cross Hospital where he is
in a stable condition undergoing tests to determine the cause of his
collapse.
Chiswick RNLI station Manager Wayne Bellamy commented "This was
our most challenging Boat Race day by far. Over the years we have
planned for many eventualities; yesterday these plans were put into
effect. Despite the controversial incidents during the 2012 Boat
Race, serious harm was prevented " |
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Chiswick lifeboat crew have celebrated a major milestone today when
they carried out their 2,000th rescue mission since the Royal
National Lifeboat Institution began operating on the River Thames.
The crew were called at 8.36am today (23 February) by London
Coastguard, who reported that a lone female had fallen from a tin
fish boat into the river. The reports said the boat’s engine was
still running and the vessel going round in circles in the river.
Glen Monroe, Helmsman of Chiswick lifeboat, explained more: ‘We were
obviously concerned at the initial reports that the boat was going
around in circles, as that would’ve posed a real threat to the woman
in the water” |
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see highlights from the last ten years |
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COMEDY NIGHT WARM-UP?
Many Lifeboat shouts involve
long waits and searches. For
once a call to a report of
someone threatening to jump from
Hammersmith Bridge turned out to
be light relief, making the
perfect warm up for next weeks
Comedy Night. On arriving at
Hammersmith Bridge the crew saw
a person wearing a fox mask, he
turned out to in a team
making a short
film. The Lifeboat crew were
able to return to the station
with a photograph as a souvenir
of this unlikely incident
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Chiswick
RNLI Lifeboat evacuates 16 from stricken vessel
At
18.45 on Wednesday evening 5 October, Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat
responded to a broken down passenger vessel near Richmond Lock. The
Kingwood with 16 passengers on board had suffered engine failure,
thought to be from debris in its cooling water intake. The vessel
was anchored but as the tide turned the anchor started dragging and
the vessel was heading towards the bank.
Lifeboat Helmsman Peter Knight went on board to assess the
situation. It appeared that the engine problem could not be solved
quickly, so all 16 passengers were evacuated into the E-class
lifeboat which then landed them safely ashore at Richmond Lock. The
plan was then to tow the Kingwood to Kew Pier where it could be
moored safely but the combined efforts of Helmsman Peter Knight and
the boat’s engineer eventually managed to clear the blockage in the
cooling system; the Kingwood then proceeded under its own power.
This incident happened simultaneously with a Thames Clipper
colliding with Tower Pier in central London. Tower RNLI Lifeboat was
first on scene and assisted with assessing the casualties and the
subsequent evacuation of over 50 passengers. Fourteen were injured
and four were taken to hospital.
Station manager Wayne Bellamy commented “Both incidents were
coordinated by London Coastguard who had to decide how to allocate
the resources at his disposal. In exercises involving passenger
vessels both Tower and Chiswick Lifeboats have been dispatched but
in this case two incidents affecting large passenger vessels, 16
miles apart, happened at the same time. In the centre of London the
coastguard could call on additional resources from the river police
and the PLA, so Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat remained at Richmond.” |
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The
need for a dedicated search and rescue service on the Thames was
demonstrated again on Boat Race weekend when Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat
responded to six calls.
On
Friday evening 25th March 2011 Lifeboat crews pulled a man out of
the water just after he jumped off Hammersmith Bridge. He was
safely transferred into the care of the London Ambulance Service.
On
Saturday, just after the start of the Oxford and Cambridge 2011 Boat
Race, a following launch struck one of the stake boats, which hold
the competing boats at the start. Two RNLI Lifeboats were behind
the flotilla of launches in order to patrol the banks as the large
wash caused by the following boats can affect people who have
ventured too far out onto the foreshore. In this case the Harbour
Master requested Chiswick Lifeboat to attend to the stake boat after
concerns that one of its crew had been injured. On arrival they
found both crew on the stake boat in good health, although one had
slipped on his back; but with no further injury he was able to stay
on the board to be recovered by one of the PLA launches. Chiswick
RNLI Lifeboats then resumed their role of bank safety.
The
next incident came ten minutes later with a call from a Coastguard
Liaison Officer, who was on board one of the harbour launches. He
reported that a man had been washed off the bank and was seen
hanging onto a tree. Chiswick Lifeboat was 100m behind and quickly
responded. Two crewmen went onto the bank and assisted the man back
onto the tow path and then proceeded with the bank safety patrol.
Three further calls followed in quick succession on Sunday.
Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat was asked to respond to a report of a woman
who had fallen at Putney. They found the woman lying on the
foreshore at Putney, in some distress. It appeared that she had
fallen and dislocated her left shoulder. Two crew were placed on
shore and administered Entenox for pain relief until an ambulance
arrived to deal with the casualty.
On
returning to Chiswick the Lifeboat was asked to search for a missing
boat, last seen an hour earlier in Putney. It appeared that the
owner was expecting his friends in the boat to have returned. The
Lifeboat searched from Hammersmith back towards Putney and then
proceeded to Fulham where there was a report of a small speed boat,
which turned out to be the missing craft. The boat and the persons
on board were not in any difficulties, but the Lifeboat did escort
the craft back to Putney Pier where the owner was waiting.
Immediately on arrival at Putney they were tasked to another
incident and proceeded at full speed to Brentford Eyot. While on
route further information was received stating that a man was seen
hanging onto a tree. The tide was too low for the lifeboat to go on
the Brentford side of the island and after locating the man in
question he made his way over to the Lifeboat but refused to leave
the island. By this time the tide had risen sufficiently for the
Lifeboat to go inside the island and ferry two policemen onto the
island with one of the Lifeboat crew. At this point the man then
jumped into the water and swam to the shore refusing any
assistance. Once ashore he was then taken into custody by the
Police, the Lifeboat then ferried the two police officers on the
island back to Brentford. |
On
Tuesday afternoon 22 March, Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat was on exercise
in the Brentford area when the crew were tasked to a report of a
vessel that had lost power and was drifting near Hammersmith
Bridge. On arrival they found a large Dutch barge drifting beam-on
in the centre of the river near Crabtree Wharf. The engine had
stalled and would not re-start; it also appeared the vessel was
unable to deploy its anchor.
Helmsman Gary Tiller decided to place crewman Craig Burn on the
stricken vessel, who then arranged the tow line with the crewman
Peter Knight. Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat was able to tow the 36 ton
barge against the strong ebb tide under Hammersmith Bridge to its
mooring at Dove Pier. Due to the size of the vessel and the strong
tide, Chiswick’s relief lifeboat was also launched to assist with berthing
the vessel onto its mooring. A Marine Police vessel was also in
attendance to assist if required.
Chiswick RNLI lifeboat Station Manager Wayne Bellamy commented “It
was fortunate that the barge, drifting without power, passed under
Hammersmith Bridge without causing any damage. The barge was
floating towards Putney with many rowers and other river users out
on the water on a fine day; if the Lifeboat had not halted its
progress speedily, the incident could have become very grave.
Towing a 36 ton vessel is well within the capabilities of the RNLI
E-class Lifeboat that is used on the Thames, this rescue also
demonstrated the need for fast response to prevent a minor incident
turning into a major one.” |
On
Saturday afternoon 19 March Chiswick Lifeboat was launched to
investigate a report of a man with a suspected broken leg on the
foreshore opposite Chiswick Eyot. Crewmembers D Kershaw and S Parkin
went ashore to assess the casualty. They found the man who had been
trying to gain access to the foreshore to photograph the boats in
the Women’s Head of the River Race, had fallen and broken his right
ankle.
The
ankle had rotated 90 degrees and the man was in severe pain. After
carrying out a primary survey, the crew administered Entonox. Also
on scene was a doctor who had been watching the race. It was decided
to transfer London Ambulance Service paramedics to the casualty so
they could administer more powerful pain relief before evacuation
could be considered.
After the Lifeboat had ferried the paramedics to the casualty they
administered morphine; within ten minutes the man was ready to be
moved. At this time second crew from Chiswick (who had been on
standby at the other end of the race at Putney) arrived. With the
assistance of all six crewmembers the man was placed on a spinal
board, into the basket stretcher and transferred to Chiswick RNLI
Lifeboat, which made the short journey to Chiswick Pier where the
ambulance was waiting.
Chiswick RNLI spokesman commented “The incident was over half a mile
from the nearest road access, so the use of the RNLI Lifeboat to
attend to the casualty quickly, transfer the paramedics to
administer powerful pain relief and then evacuate the casualty, was
essential. The steep and slippery river bank would have made moving
the casualty up onto the towpath very hazardous” |
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SPONSOR OUR SPINNERS
Chiswick Lifeboat
crew members clocked up 1199 miles on bikes on SOS Day Fri 28th Jan & Sat 29th Jan
Volunteers from the
crew far exceeded the target distance of 768.72 miles from the most northern RNLI station (Aith
in the Shetland Isles) to the most southern (St Helier on Jersey).
Collections by
volunteers at the Bentalls Shopping Centre in Kingston were over
£8,500 with online donations still coming in.

Sponsor them with Virgin Money Giving |
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Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat responds to emergency in thick fog
Early on Friday morning 19 November, Chiswick lifeboat was launched
by the Coastguard to a report of a person in the water alongside
Fulham Football Ground. The crew found a man face down in the mud.
He appeared to have fallen 20 feet from the river wall. Initial
assessment by crew members Andy Mayo and Ian Greatbatch established
that the man was not breathing and had no pulse. While they tried to
revive the man using the lifeboat’s defibrillator and CPR, helmsman
Martin Blaker-Rowe summoned additional help. Two policemen from the
Police Marine Support Unit assisted with the treatment while their
boat collected a doctor and paramedics from Putney Pier. Five
minutes later the London Fire Boat Fire Flash arrived on scene The
doctor inserted an airway and took over the treatment. After a
prolonged effort the doctor pronounced life extinct
at 05.49. He informed the Lifeboat crew that they had done an
excellent job in very challenging circumstances and had done
everything possible. The doctor confirmed that the casualty had a
massive head injury, a broken back, broken ribs, a broken leg and
internal bleeding.
Helmsman Martin Blaker-Rowe commented “The drop from the river wall
is higher than might be expected and can result in serious injuries;
in this case the man’s injuries were so severe that the combined
efforts of the Lifeboat Crew, doctor and paramedics were unable to
save him.”
Throughout this incident fog made navigation on the river difficult
with visibility down to 2 metres when the lifeboat returned to
station. In these conditions the crew proceed cautiously with the
help of the on board gps chart plotter and radar. |

The Queen visits Lifeboat Pier in Waterloo on 24 February 2010 to meet
crews from the
Thames Lifeboat Stations
photo JP Trenque |
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Comedy night success
The
Headliners comedy night in support of Chiswick RNLI was packed with
supporters who had a hilarious evening and raised over £2,800. This
was the first major event run by the Chiswick Branch and its success
should ensure it becomes an annual event. |
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New Mayor supports RNLI
The new Mayor of Hammersmith & Fulham, councillor Adronie Alford,
visited Chiswick Lifeboat station on 7 June. The mayor has made the
RNLI her charity for the year. The many miles of river frontage in
the borough are all within the stretch covered by Chiswick Lifeboat.
Chiswick RNLI and the lifeboat crew plan to be working with the
mayor on her fundraising efforts during her year in office. |
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Chiswick
Lifeboat was one of three RNLI Lifeboats playing a leading role in a
major search and rescue exercise on the Thames on Thursday 30
September.
A
broken down commercial vessel and a damaged passenger boat provided
the emergency scenario in Operation Orangetree on Thursday 30
September. The exercise, coordinated by the Maritime and Coastguard
Agency, simulated a collision between a passenger vessel and a
commercial vessel. A fire on one and severe damage to the other were
also part of the scenario, which resulted in several 'casualties' -
weighted, lifelike dummies - in the River Thames.
The
exercise tested the emergency responses of not only RNLI lifeboats
stationed on the Thames, but also the police, fire and ambulance
services, London Coastguard, the Port of London Authority, the
Passenger Boat Association, and other related agencies.This is the
first time a major exercise has taken place during darkness. The
evening schedule upped the ante for all agencies involved, providing
an opportunity for all to test their response to a potential major
incident on Britain’s busiest waterway.
Tower RNLI and Gravesend RNLI lifeboats were tasked with search and
recovery of the 'casualties' from the river, downstream. Meanwhile,
Chiswick was tasked with evacuating the remaining casualties onboard
the passenger vessel.
See RNLI website for more details and video |
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£6,000
raised for Chiswick Lifeboat
Following Chiswick Lifeboat crewmember Steve East’s efforts in the
first London to Paris rowing challenge two years ago, on May 9th
2010, the Outloars, a scratch, mixed crew assembled from theUK and Belgium set
off on the same journey. Although adverse weather this time
prevented the rowers crossing the channel in their traditional
Thames Cutters, the Outloars crew sped up the Seine to Paris and
raised over £6,000 for the RNLI. Outloars crewmember, Simon Pelly,
has asked for their fundraising to be associated with Chiswick RNLI
Lifeboat; much of their training was on the patch of
the Thames covered by Chiswick Lifeboat. |
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Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat crew rescue woman, injured after falling six
metres, from the rapidly rising tide |

On Sunday afternoon 6 December the crew of Chiswick RNLI
Lifeboat rescued a woman from the rapidly rising tide after she had
fallen over 6 metres from the river wall in Fulham. Chiswick Lifeboat was on exercise near the station in
Chiswick when they received a call at 14:19 from the London
Coastguard. Six minutes later, they arrived at the wharf close to
Wandsworth Bridge to find the casualty on the remaining 2 metres of
foreshore which was rapidly diminishing with the rising spring tide.
Two of the lifeboat crew, assisted by a London Ambulance Service
paramedic, stabilised the casualty with a neck brace and transferred
her onto a spinal board before moving her into the boat on the
lifeboat’s stretcher. Firemen from the fireboat based in Lambeth
were also in attendance and assisted with the transfer onto the
lifeboat.
Glen
Munroe, the duty helmsman said “Because the river wall is over 6
metres high at this point the casualty could only be rescued by
water. We were able to place the lifeboat a couple of metres away to
effect a rapid transfer.” Ian Owen, Lifeboat mechanic, who was
on the foreshore, added “We had only five minutes to stabilise
the woman so she could be moved before the water covered her. The
woman was confused and vomiting, the large amount of rubbish in the
river at this point probably reduced the impact of her fall” |
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Chiswick Lifeboat
rescues injured man
after barge collides
with Hammersmith Bridge |

Chiswick lifeboat was the first on the scene after a Dutch barge
collided with Hammersmith Bridge on Friday afternoon. The barge,
proceeding upstream, reached Hammersmith Bridge close to the top of
a high spring tide at 4pm. The skipper had misjudged the clearance
of the bridge at high water and was unable to stop. The barge
careered into the bridge which ripped off its wheelhouse. The
skipper, who was the only one of the crew of four left in the
wheelhouse, suffered a head injury. When the lifeboat arrived the
man was bleeding profusely, a towel wrapped round his head was
saturated with blood. The lifeboat crew, applied first aid,
transferred the injured man to the lifeboat and then to an ambulance
onshore. By this time, a police boat and the Fireboat had also
arrived. The Police moved the damaged vessel to Chiswick Pier. As
a precaution, Hammersmith Bridge was closed to traffic until the
damage could be assessed.
The
injured man was discharged from hospital after having 12 stitches to
his head wound. On Saturday morning he was with his companions
seeing if they could resume their journey. It appears that none of
the mechanical parts of the vessel were damaged, but it now has an
open wheelhouse. |
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Meet Chiswick Lifeboat Crew
Emma
Brophy, the editor of the popular local website ChiswickW4, visited
the lifeboat station in October.
Read her
vivid account of life for the crew.
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The Duke of Kent,
President of the RNLI,
visits Chiswick Lifeboat
Station |

The Duke of Kent,
President of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, visited the
crews of all the Thames lifeboats
on 7 May 2009.
After visiting Lifeboat Pier in Waterloo and meeting crews from
Tower and Gravesend lifeboat stations, the Duke travelled upstream
by lifeboat to Chiswick Pier. Here he was introduced to crew members
of Chiswick and Teddington Lifeboat Stations as well as committee
members from the respective RNLI fundraising branches. The Duke was
delighted to have the opportunity to see first hand the work of the
crews from these busy stations and experience a different view of
London during his river journey. |
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Chiswick
RNLI crew, paramedics and rowing coach save woman's life |
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At
5pm on 3 March 2009 Chiswick RNLI lifeboat was launched to reports of a
woman in the water. Close to Furnival Rowing Club, they found a
rowing coach from St Paul's school clinging to a lifeless casualty.
The crew brought the casualty onboard the lifeboat and immediately
began CPR. The lifeboat then moored up at the rowing club's pontoon
so that London Ambulance Service paramedics could come aboard. The
lifeboat crew continued CPR while the paramedics used their advance
lifesaving equipment and the lifeboat's defibrillator. After some
time faint signs of life became apparent and the woman was
transferred to hospital by ambulance. Despite poor expectations the
casualty was alert, talking and taking refreshment the following
morning.
Station manager Wayne Bellamy said:
'I am extremely proud of my crew for their calm and considered
lifesaving work under extreme pressure'
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ALWAYS READY TO HELP |

Local
resident Beryl Spurrier (85yrs old) and her granddaughter Heather
Spurrier came into the station to present the crew with some chocolates
and a cheque to Chiswick RNLI for £50. On the 17th October at 2pm Beryl
was assisted to the station by a passer by who had seen her fall over
onto her face on the path outside the Lifeboat Station. She was bleeding
quite badly so lifeboat crew Andy Mayo, Mark Finnis and Jon Keenes (who
is a paramedic) assessed the injuries, applied first aid and called an
ambulance. Her granddaughter was so pleased with the assistance the crew
had provided that she arranged a visit to the station to meet them and
express their gratitude. |
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LIFEBOAT CREW INVESTIGATE SUBMERGED CAR
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On
Monday 4th August 2008 at 1910 hrs Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat was launched
to investigate reports of a 3 persons and a car in the river at
Isleworth near the London Apprentice Public House. The lifeboat arrived
on scene to find a blue Vauxhall Corsa in the river. Also on scene were
police and ambulance crews. Two anglers who had seen the car drive into
the river had jumped into the water to save the female driver, hence the
original call to three persons in the river.
At the
request of the police, Lifeboat Crew-member Craig Burn entered the water
to check there was no baby seat in the submerged vehicle. Once it was
established that all persons were accounted for, the crew secured the
vehicle to the embankment wall. Helmsman Paul Harrison said “We
are often called out to cars driven into the river accidentally or, as
in this case, deliberately. It is always essential to check there is no
one trapped and prevent the vehicle becoming a danger to navigation” |
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FORESHORE RESCUE |
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On
Tuesday afternoon 27th May Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat was mooring up at its
jetty on Chiswick pier after an exercise in Richmond when London
Coastguard radioed “Chiswick Immediate”. Helmsman Mark
Turrrell immediately proceeded at full speed to the foreshore just north
of Fulham football ground where a man had fallen 20 feet onto the
foreshore. He had sustained a number of cuts and bruises and an open
fracture of the humerus. With a fall from that height possible spinal
injury was also a major concern. The Air Ambulance had also arrived. The
lifeboat crew worked with the helicopter paramedics applying dressings
and oxygen. Once the casualty was stabilised and on a stretcher the team
transferred the casualty into the helicopter. He was then taken to
hospital. Mark Turrell said “The joint efforts of the air ambulance
and lifeboat crews were essential in this incident as there is no access
to the foreshore from the land side in this location”. |
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LONDON TO PARIS ROWING CHALLENGE
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Chiswick lifeboat
crew Steve East completed
the rowing race from Westminster to the Eiffel Tower on the 9th May. He
was in one of two teams racing in Thames cutters. For race details,
reports and pictures follow the link:
http://london2parisrowing.com/2008/news/
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CHISWICK CREW MEMBERS SUPPORT MEMORIAL TO PAST HEROES |
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Many brave and
selfless RNLI crew members and fundraisers are remembered proudly in
their local communities.
However, there is no
one memorial that celebrates all those who have served the RNLI over the
past 180-plus years - especially those 438 who have died while saving
lives at sea. An area of land will be put aside at the RNLI's
headquarters at Poole for a sculpture and a garden. RNLI volunteers,
staff and members of the public will be able to sit and contemplate the
extraordinary self sacrifice of the many people involved with the
charity since its foundation in 1824
Fundraising for the memorial is being
organised by the RNLI Heritage Trust. The RNLI’s normal fundraising has
to be used for search and rescue activities. The RNLI Heritage trust is
a separate charity, which has to raise its own funds. The crew at
Chiswick Lifeboat Station have enthusiastically pitched in to help the
fundraising effort for the memorial, donating a day's pay or their
attendance allowance to this fund.
Further information is on the RNLI main website.
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RNLI
LAUNCHES TRIAL OF SAFETY SIGNAGE |
Following
concerns about tragedies suffered by water users who are unfamiliar with
local dangers, the RNLI has started a trial of safety signs to be put up
at popular launching sites and beaches.
One of the trial sites is at Putney
Embankment in the stretch patrolled by the RNLI Lifeboat from Chiswick.
Station manager Wayne Bellamy has been involved with the development of
the scheme with the team at RNLI headquarters in Poole, the local
authority, the PLA and major river users.
This project is dedicated to the
memory of Ryan Pitney, who died tragically in June 2004 at a beach in
Cornwall. Ryan was 4 years old.
Ryan drowned doing one of those
things he loved the most: playing by the water. That day, there were no
warnings seen by Ryan's mother informing her that the water could be
dangerous. "If only we had known, I would have been much more aware
and cautious. I hope these new signs prevent other families going
through the same thing as we have. The more places that take up the new
signage standard, the less Ryan's death was in vain."
Link to detail of
signage |
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FOUR
CHILDREN RESCUED |
At
10.55 on Sunday 21 January Chiswick RNLI lifeboat was called to assist a
motor cruiser that had gone aground off Crabtree Wharf in Fulham.
During the passage to
the scene the lifeboat’s starboard engine started to missfire and blow
smoke from the exhaust. The lifeboat continued on one engine as it was
near the casualty vessel. Helmsman Glen Munroe said “One crewman was
placed aboard to determine our options. As there were two adults and
four small children on board (aged 2,4,6 and
8) it was decided that the it was best to evacuate the boat while the
lifeboat could still some alongside. Once beached the cruiser’s engine
would have to be stopped and the occupants would have soon become very
cold”
The faulty engine was
used to maintain position in the falling tide, once all were aboard the
lifeboat the three crew and six passengers returned to Chiswick pier on
one engine. The family were taken ashore and the duty Lifeboat switched
with the relief boat.
The crew returned to
the scene some hours later with the replacement lifeboat to recover the
vessel once it was floating on the flood tide. The lifeboat towed the
cruiser back to Chiswick Pier where the owners recovered their boat and
continued their passage
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CHISWICK LIFEBOAT
IN MAJOR EXERCISE |
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On Wednesday morning 1st November Chiswick Lifeboat was a key
participant in an exercise to test the effectiveness of the Thames
search and rescue services in a major river incident.
‘Passenger craft Salamander was ‘sinking’. There were 100
passengers on board the stricken vessel and 25 were in the water.
The casualties were all volunteers and those in the water were
dummies. The Coastguard tasked the rescue boats coming up-river to
search for the ‘bodies’ which were drifting downstream on the ebb
tide. Chiswick RNLI lifeboat started the evacuation of the
Salamander. Within a three minutes of arrival on scene the first 15
‘survivors’ were on the lifeboat on their way back to Chelsea
Harbour pier. Chiswick lifeboat evacuated a further 15 people and
was then tasked to join the search downstream while the police fire
and PLA vessels continued with the evacuation. An RAF helicopter
winched dummies from the deck of the Salamander. Casualties were
taken to the shore and passed into the care of the London Ambulance
Service who had established a major incident centre to triage the
‘survivors’.
After the exercise Wayne Bellamy, manager of Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat
Station said. “We were pleased with the response from all the
services and the rapid evacuation of all the people on the
Salamander. This was the first major exercise since the RNLI
Lifeboats and the Coastguard service started on the Thames five
years ago. The exercise proved its worth by demonstrating the
effectiveness of the emergency services and revealing some things
that would be done differently next time”.
The exercise was designed to test LESLP (London Emergency Services
Liaison Panel) procedures as applied to a major incident on the
River Thames. The panel ensures a partnership approach between all
the relevant agencies in the planning for, and the response to, a
major incident of whatever kind.
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CHISWICK LIFEBOAT RESCUES 500th CASUALTY |
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At 16.37 on Wednesday 12th April 2006 the lifeboat responded to a
report of a collision between a 2 man rowing boat and a buoy in Syon
Reach. When the lifeboat arrived both rowers, Steve Dixon and George
Turner, had managed to clamber onto the buoy and were holding onto
their boat. In the collision, Steve Dixon had received a heavy blow
to the back of the ribcage and was finding it painful to breathe;
both were suffering from the cold. The lifeboat crew transferred the
rowers into the lifeboat, gave them blankets and dressed the injured
man’s open wound. RNLI helmsman Neil Roberts said “After they were
safely in the lifeboat the two rowers were in high spirits and
delighted to be the 499th and 500th people rescued by Chiswick
Lifeboat.”
After dropping off the boat and one of the rowers at Tideway
Scullers rowing club, the injured man was returned to Chiswick and
transferred to a waiting ambulance. He is expected to make a full
recovery. The two rowers are medical students in their third year at
Kings College London.
Chiswick RNLI lifeboat became operational on the 2nd January 2002.
Since then it has responded to over 880 emergency calls. The four
Thames lifeboats together have responded to over 2000 calls. |
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RANGE ROVER BEATEN BY THE TIDE |
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At 22.10 on Monday 13th March 2006 Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat was out on
a training exercise when the crew saw a vehicle stuck on the
foreshore near Chiswick Eyot.
An unfortunate soul (and his girlfriend) thought it would be a bit
of fun to explore the foreshore of the Thames in a new Range Rover
Sport. They hadn't accounted for a mud pool or the rising tide. Some
residents of nearby houseboats were concerned that the rising tide
would sweep the vehicle onto their moorings. They tried vainly to
dig out the Range Rover, now up to its axles. The driver was trying
to phone a friend to try to arrange a JCB, - it never arrived. The
fire brigade attended but did not have equipment to free the
vehicle. Eventually the police persuaded the couple to leave the
Range Rover before it was submerged.
After ensuring that all on the foreshore were safe the lifeboat crew
tied a fender to the vehicle as a marker and secured it to the bank
to stop it drifting. Overnight, the vehicle was completely
submerged. In the morning the PLA decided that the waterlogged hulk
was a hazard to navigation and used their driftwood crane to remove
it during the next high tide. |
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UNMANNED “TUG” TOWED IN BY CHISWICK LIFEBOAT |
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At 20.50 on Monday 2nd January 2006 Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat was
called to investigate reports of a person screaming by the river in
Bishops Park, Fulham.
After searching fruitlessly for half an hour the crew were stood
down by the coastguard. While making their way back upstream, they
came upon a vessel showing lights but apparently not under control.
They discovered an unmanned tugboat, with navigation lights but with
a propeller fouled by weed. Helmsman Alan Hudson said “We
considering using the towline but decided it would be easier to
recover the vessel into the lifeboat as it was all of 24 inches
long.”
The radio controlled tug is now safely in the crew room at Chiswick
Lifeboat with a clean propeller. Alan Hudson presumed “The tug must
have been someone’s Christmas present which the tide swept away when
its propeller got fouled” The crew will be happy to return the model
boat to its owner if they can contact the station on 020 8995 5534 |
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Chiswick Crewman reaches OZ in Round the World Race |
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Chiswick lifeboat crewman Andy Butler
arrived in Freemantle just before Christmas after completing 14,500
miles of the
Clipper 2005/6 Round the World Yacht Race.
After a thrilling race to the finish his boat just failed to make
first place. After a 2 month tour of Australia and New Zealand
Andy will be rejoining the crew in Chiswick. Andy has raised over
£8,000 for
the RNLI and
Cancer Research.
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TEAMWORK SAVES BABY FROM CHILLY THAMES |
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At 12.26 on Monday 12th December 2005 Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat was called
to Wandsworth Reach.
A
couple were crossing a pontoon on their way to their houseboat when
their 18 month old baby managed to get out of his pushchair and fell
into the river. The father dived in and grabbed the child. The
mother got their small dinghy going but in trying to retrieve the
two in the water, she also fell in. Some building workers dialled
999 and informed the coastguard. He put out an immediate call to
Chiswick Lifeboat and the other emergency services. The river Police
were patrolling nearby and its crew were able to pull the family out
of the water. The lifeboat arrived a couple of minutes later and the
crew treated the baby and father for Hypothermia and administered
oxygen. London Ambulance Service paramedics then took the baby to
hospital. It is understood that the casualties are expected to make
a full recovery. |
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Chiswick RNLI Branch
opens |
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Building on the
success of the lifeboat station local residents have formed a
Chiswick branch of the RNLI. Interim Chairman Richard Millar said "Not
only does Chiswick have its own lifeboat, but the lifeboat is of of
the busiest in the country" The branch will be involved in
local fundraising and events at the lifeboat station.
The Chiswick branch
welcomes new members. For information contact Richard Millar on 020
8995 7021 |