So. Your pager goes off. You drop whatever it is that you are doing and rush to the boathouse. You spend 2 minutes involved in the dressing up race that is getting ready to go out on a shout. And then you do nothing.........for about 20 minutes. Why? Well, to start with we were going to go to attend a domestic situation which had occurred on a boat nearby. Reports were confused but seemed to involve a father and daughter, some violence, a lot of tears, calls to the police and a suspected heart attack. Not your usual lifeboat stuff. So just as we were ready to launch the police called to ask if we could wait to take them with us as they wanted to attend and also had a defibrillator. So we waited. And waited. And then a bit more waiting. So imagine our shocked amazement when they then arrived (having increased our response time by about 250% when there was a suspected heart attack)and told us that they couldn't come because they hadn't done a sea survival course! Flippin' Mad..........So we set off and went anyway.
As it turned out there was no heart attack and the situation had settled down a bit. Naturally the main talking point for the crew was the nonsense of the Police situation. In front of a very large crowd of by-standers they were made to look pretty pathetic in by their controllers. What a mad world.
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very
Mad World
Mad World
Enlarging your world
Mad World.
(Tears for Fears)
8 comments:
I would have thought that being on a lifeboat with an experinced crew in calm seas was a pretty good guarantee that you were gong to survive the adventure without the need for a survival course.
I would have thought that being on a lifeboat with an experienced crew in calm seas was a pretty good guarantee that you were going to survive the adventure without the need for a survival course.
Good work, as ever, but I (professionally) think this one warrants a complaint to Force HQ, since though it ended successfully, the police action very nearly compromised someone's health.
Take care.
Don't get me going on this one. I was pretty shocked by the whole episode. I suspect someone might well talk to someone in 'Force HQ'.
Another example of 'Health and Safety' gone mad?
Btw - Don't you carry a defib on the lifeboat? Maybe you just rely on India Julliet for those situations, but it still surprises me a bit, especially since I know mountain rescue (for instance) do usually carry them.
Truly mad. When red tape stops people performing to their best its time to cut it back. I am glad no-one is hurt but I feel as sorry for the police officers who were probably keen to get to the scene. They can have my sea survival certificate if they like, I've finished with it! :-)
They can have my sea survival certificate if they like, I've finished with it. :-)
I think I recall something along the lines of defibs not being carried due to the large amounts of water around.......
This, once again, is health and safety gone mad as I have a higher opinion of lifeboat crew intelligence and am certain that they would not try and use it on someone in the wrong circumstances.
Post a Comment