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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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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 Chiswick
RNLI Lifeboat evacuates 16 from stricken vesselAt 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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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.
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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.
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 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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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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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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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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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” |
 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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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 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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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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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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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." |
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FOUR CHILDREN RESCUED |
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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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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 |
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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”.
