Coastguards back Strike action

[Poly]

Originally Posted by codprawn

for chasing joy riders who have stolen cars worth £200!!!

which are then driven erratically and are a danger to other motorists and pedestrians.

[ashbypower]

Originally Posted by codprawn

YES!!!

If you actually bother going to the various websites of the police helicopter units around the Uk you will see the majority of them are NOT used as an air ambulance but for chasing joy riders who have stolen cars worth £200!!!

Mmmm just done a random search and out of 7 web sites I had 100% Casi Vac use !!!!!!!!!

[ribraff]

I'm with codders on this one, sure it's great that ocasionally the police helo is used as an air ambulance but a lot of the time thay are used for catching people who have comitted small traffic offences, quite a few of them now are set up with registration plate recognition cameras..... erm ..... nice way to spend 4m...... jobs for the boys i'd say.

[Limey Linda]

Originally Posted by codprawn

YES!!!

If you actually bother going to the various websites of the police helicopter units around the Uk you will see the majority of them are NOT used as an air ambulance but for chasing joy riders who have stolen cars worth £200!!!

My point was ( not made clearly , I agree) was that changing the use of police helos is highly unlikey to change the pay rate of CG employees.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by ashbypower

Mmmm just done a random search and out of 7 web sites I had 100% Casi Vac use !!!!!!!!!

Yes but have you actually READ what the helicopters get up to??? Obviously not!!!

The most common comment is

"High visibility patrol" and the result is No incident of note"

At £4,000 per hour that's scary!!!

http://www.merseyside.police.uk/html...outs/index.htm

This is just one example - they are all much the same. Coppers on the ground would do a far better job!!!

What get's me is that the Police helicopters have plenty of money - the Air Ambulance service is always struggling!!!

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Polwart

which are then driven erratically and are a danger to other motorists and pedestrians.

Joyriding has virtually died out because modern cars have very good immobilisers. There aren't many old Astras and Metros left. Joyriders deliberately wind the Police up to get chased - it's not worth other motorists lives to play their game - seen it too many times!!!

[C2 RIBS]

Agree with Limey linda, the removal of cop helo will not give the coastguard the pay rise they deserve. Perhaps the government who vote on their high pay rise very soon should just give it to all our emergency services

[ian parkes]

Why not free up some of the budget given to beach lifeguards to pay the coastguards .
How ??

Less cover , some of it is completely OTT

Tourist tax

Make the lifguards fine people who litter beaches

Charge people for being rescued

[Doug Stormforce]

Originally Posted by ian parkes

Why not free up some of the budget given to beach lifeguards to pay the coastguards .


Less cover.............Make the lifguards fine people who litter beaches

So you want less cover and then you want the few lifeguards left to become the beach/litter version of a traffic warden?

Originally Posted by ian parkes

Charge people for being rescued

Thats the sort of nonsense I would have expected from Tony Blair, We are a developed country that values human life and encourages its citizens to call for help before situations escalate. You can not seriously want to take us backwards?

[ian parkes]

Originally Posted by Doug Stormforce

So you want less cover and then you want the few lifeguards left to become the beach/litter version of a traffic warden?


Thats the sort of nonsense I would have expected from Tony Blair, We are a developed country that values human life and encourages its citizens to call for help before situations escalate. You can not seriously want to take us backwards?

Why not give the lifeguards some powers to stop people leaving their rubbish on the beach. Most of them are local lads who love the sea and care about it
Go talk to a few they would love to be able to sort out the litter louts and fools . After all they are the ones who have to deal with the injuries when someone steps on a broken bottle etc .

Charging for rescue could be judged . Ie if its a genuine incident not through stupidity then OK
but for the silly fool that needs fetching back because he went to sea on an airbed and needed a helicopter , make them pay especially if the lifeguard had already warned them .
No different to getting fined for a traffic offence in my book

[Biggles]

Originally Posted by ian parkes

Why not give the lifeguards some powers to stop people leaving their rubbish on the beach. Most of them are local lads who love the sea and care about it

Not worth it. Too many loonies around with bad attitudes and knives. sad world but its the way it is.

[codprawn]

Just seen the ultimate use of a Police helicopter. Someone had stolen a motorbike - 4 stroke scooter - which was allegedly worth 2,000 - the thief was making a getaway across farmland and not only was he putting ramblers lives at risk but also the sound of the motorbike would cause havoc as it was the lambing season and the sheep would miscarry!!! This comment was made from the low flying police helicopter.....................

[havener]

If you do happen to disagree with Coastguard staff being paid less than billy no-stars at your local MacDonalds, please visit :

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Coastguard/

Thanks