Distress Flares Reminder

DISTRESS FLARES

Its that time of year again where we celebrate bonfire night with our families.  The Inverness team would like to celebrate it with there families too and not out searching for Hoax Distress Flares.

We would like to remind the public that Distress Flares are for use only when someone is in grave and imminent danger at sea.  They are not toys and not for use at firework displays.

What does a distress flare look like? You get various types. The main one that causes the most hoax calls is a Parachute Flares which is designed to fire a single red star high into the sky which will burn for about 30secs.

The team will be oncall as normal over this period and urge anyone seeing a Distress Flare to contact the COASTGUARD on 999.

Even though its a criminal offence to fire a distress flare in an non-distress situation the main point is it diverts valuable search and rescue assets away from real distress situations

Have an Enjoyable Bonfire Night

Coastguard Campaigns

For Coastguard Campaigns please click on the links below

Contacting the Coastguard in an Emergency

Lifejacket – Useless Unless Worn

Register your Vessel – See why

Sector Managers Retirement and Presentations

On Friday 24th April Friends and Colleagues joined Mike Armitage and his family at the Thistle Hotel, Inverness to celebrate his retirement from HM Coastguard Service.

The start of the evening was a presentation by the Chief Coastguard of long service medals to Kenny Long and Ian Wilson of Nairn Coastguard, Andy Sutherland, Martin McWhirr and Willie Wilson of Inverness.  Willie received an additional Long Service bar to reflect his 35 years service. The Chief Coastguard also thanked the wives, husbands and families of  Coastguards for their understanding in allowing their lives to be interrupted by the sound of the pager.

Following the medal presentation Chief Coastguard, Rod Johnson and Coastal Safety Manager Bill Spiers presented Mike with a certificate for recognition of service and a laptop from his colleagues

The evening then continued with a buffet and dance.

The team would like to take the opportunity to thank Mike for all his work throughout the past 21years at Inverness and how he put Inverness on the Coastguard map.  We wish him a long and happy retirement.

All the best Mike from the team.

Left to Right Back – Ian Wilson, Bill Spiers,  Mike Armitage, Rod Johnson, Andy Sutherland and Martin McWhirr

Front – Kenny Long and Willie Wilson

And he is off……..

Mike Arimtage, Sector Manager has decided to retire after 26 years with HM Coastguard.  He will be missed by the team.

Mike’s last working day will be 17th April 2009.  The team are having a retirement party for him and people who have had contact with Mike during his career are warmly invited.

Click the link for details: mike-retirement

Police Dependants’ Trust

We will be at the Northen Constabulary’s Police Headquarters open day on Saturday 30th of August. Why not pop along and see us, have a chat with the guys that are there and have a look at some of our Equipment. Look forward to seeing you.

Safe Highlander 2008

This event has been running for a number of years now and it gives primary 7 pupils from throughout the Inverness area to come along to the Cameron Barracks and meet representatives from the Coastguard, Police, Fire Brigade, British Transport Police, Red Cross, Drugs and Alcohol Project and the Construction Industry. They are given a short about some of the hazards that they could encounter throughout their lifes whether it is someone in the water or coming across a fire.

This event is a charity in itself and requires dontations to continue providing the good work it does to the communities next generation

End of Highland 2007 Fireworks

On Saturday 12th of January at 19.00 A torch light precession started from the city centre, down the river side and out to the Kessock Bridge where fireworks were set off to mark the end of the Highland 2007 Year of Culture. Our was used for the command post for all emergency services during the event. The team were also out on patrol at various locations around the city due to the large numbers of people gathered near the waters edge. The night passed off without any incidents.

Merry Christmas & All the Best for 2008

All the Team at Inverness would like to wish the community of Inverness and the other Agencies they work with a Very Merry Christmas and All the Best for 2008.

The ‘graveyard’ shift

Well someone had to do it. The first 12hr shift at Rock Ness when there is no music and generally very little happening so we thought. Our colleagues in the Scottish Ambulance Service and Red Cross were certainly kept busy for a few hours with a few revellers over doing it. But no music apart from VHF radio’s blaring away inside the SARCOM vehicle the team is using this weekend.

Doing a 180

For months the team had been told that the Coastguard Rescue Service wouldn’t be part of the multi agency emergency service cover at this year’s Rock Ness music event due to budgetary constraints. At last year’s event, there was a foot patrol, vehicle patrol, the MCA Merlin RIB along with mobile coordination vehicle (a total of 10 coastguards on duty at any one time) to order to provide a full search & rescue cover as the event happens beside Loch Ness. It also happened to be a fantastic way of training for a  incident involving many different units in a very realistic way.

However with 72hrs to go before the event, the team have been tasked to provide cover for the full weekend from Friday until Sunday. Two coastguard rescue officer’s will be working 12hr shifts in a communications role to liaise with the other emergency services on site in case of a water based incident on or around the shores of Loch Ness.

Some photos from the event will be posted here next week.