Yanks Are Comin To Run Air Sea Rescue.

[tt6688]

okay you limey mother @@@@@@@,were coming to show you how to kick ass with our awesome choppers,rescuing dudes and stuff,way to go.

[Baldric]

SAR were at Manston for years, however;
Search and rescue choppers were controversially axed from Manston in 1990 and moved to Wattisham, Suffolk.
However, the Wattisham base is going to close under the new contract and come back to Thanet.
More info here;
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/New-search-rescue-base-built-Manston-Airport/story-18522409-detail/story.html#axzz2OeCK9z1a

[emmie]

237, with regards to Prince William, who incidentally hasn't been in the service 5 minutes, but since Oct 2010, they have used his name perhaps as a way of highlighting they fact of it's privatisation, which i am sure many have opposed. Quite honestly i would rather they keep it as it is, but that isn't my call.

[WELSHYORKIE]

Possibly, some of the aircrews will leave RAF service and go to work for Bristows. No more yellow choppers flying above my house - i'll miss them!

[237SJ]

I was brought up with the helicopters buzzing over my house and have known them (and had affection for them) all of my life em. When I think of the search and rescue, I think off all the guys (some who I knew) who have been doing that for decades. I just don`t particularly think or care about Prince William. I think it`s a great shame that Chivenor is going. It covers a very treacherous piece of coastline (with the second highest tidal variance in the world) and I think it`s a mistake to get rid of it no matter who it`s run by.

[buildersmate]

This is a non-core service provided by the RAF that can be done far cheaper by the private sector. The business about whether a service task in the military is a 'core' task or a 'non-core task' will always be emotive but it is a simple fact that a serviceman/woman costs about double what it costs for an equivalently qualified but non-uniformed person once all the employment overheads are taken into account.

The big problem with this service and the one exploited by those not wanting it contracted to the private sector is how to set the service standard. It has been done on a basis of the company will guarantee to provide an operational presence at any location within x miles of the coast within y minutes. Then it has to guarantee a second chopper presence within z minutes. The British public are incapable of comprehending what 'risk' means so they are fed a diet that says, if you are removing an existing SAR base, the service must be being downgraded. Provided the contractor demonstrates a capability of getting to all possible destinations within the time period demanded, that's regarded as OK - otherwise one ends up paying a fortune for a capability that is required a tiny weeny fraction of the time.

It is the contractors responsibility to provide an maintain the choppers for this. Because it has being dragging on so long, some old Wessex have been taken out of service but as far as I know there are still a few left. These old workhorses are very difficult to get parts for but the cost of whatever replacement is required does not now come out of MOD capital funds.

I had involvement in the original scoping project for this outsourcing contract.

[vulcan42]

The reports state that Bristows have been rescuing people here in the UK since 1971 with over 7000 rescued. Any rescue shown on Tv that I've seen show RAF, RN or Coastguards doing the rescue, any report in newspapers I've read describe the same rescuers. Where have these 7000 rescues taken place?

[emmie]

you may not care about him, but he is doing a job, and has for some time.
A future King of this country, and one shouldn't dismiss him as of no consequence. Pretty much the same way as Harry, a serving British soldier. I don't want our air sea rescue to go to a private company, i have often seen the yellow Sea Kings flying around, when visiting relatives, and indeed seen them flying over the capital...

[LazyGun]

@buildersmate. Well written post, and very good points made.

[237SJ]

Possibly the North Sea Vulcan. All I know is it`ll cost a flippin fortune in fuel to keep flying to the beaches of North Devon (from Cornwall or South Wales) to rescue the many surfers and swimmers that get in distress every sunny weekend and bank holiday.

[emmie]

you couldn't let them drown though, could you?

[237SJ]

No, em. But there are three very busy beaches virtually at the end of the old RAF runway at Chivenor and the heli patrols them on busy days. They can be seen buzzing up and down (sometimes low over the sand dunes where the topless bathers are) :-) fairly regularly and they are the eyes for anyone who is in difficulty offshore. I can`t see such regular patrols being undertaken from South Wales or Cornwall.

[society]

"Yanks Are Comin To Run Air Sea Rescue"

The Yanks could only do this if they are allowed to...

[emmie]

isn't there a lifeboat nearby?

[vulcan42]

I find it ironic they don't run a search and rescue service in America.

[237SJ]

Em - sort of but due to the high tidal variance, it can`t always get out. It`s high and dry. You can get one from further away but the point is, you have to know that someone is in distress offshore and the only people (sometimes) who know that are the RAF in their helicopter when they are doing their regular patrols.

[anotheoldgit]

Could this mean that Prince William might also be joining the ranks of all those other redundant Armed Forces personnel?

[emmie]

I expect he will take up other duties..

[emmie]

they don't only rescue sun worshippers, swimmers, but vessels that get into trouble, at great danger, cost to their own lives i am sure..