Eastbourne Emergency Services Display
July 5th and 6th 2008
Western Lawns, King Edwards Parade, Eastbourne


The Largest Display Of Emergency Services In The UK

Frightened, exhausted, in a battered yacht being tossed by high seas, a sailor makes a desperate mayday call.

Days later, he and his crew will think about how they survived their ordeal.

They will remember the glimpse of an orange and blue lifeboat; her crew risking their lives amid huge waves to leap aboard the stricken vessel.

They will remember being taken to the safety of the lifeboat and the feeling of relief that washed over them.

And they will know that those RNLI volunteers saved their life.
 

The Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI)

The RNLI is a registered charity that saves lives at sea. It has provided a 24-hour on-call lifeboat service to cover search and rescue requirements out to 100 nautical miles from the coast of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland since 1824. The RNLI is recognised as one of the most efficient lifeboat services in the world. There are 233 lifeboat stations, not only around the coast but also on inland waterways, lakes and the River Thames. They are manned by highly trained, largely volunteer crews and every penny spent to maintain the lifeboat service is raised from voluntary contributions and legacies for its income. The RNLI is proud of its independence from Government status yet works with the Maritime Coastguard Agency, the Irish Coast Guard and other organisations to provide a co-ordinated rescue service. 

Since the RNLI was founded its lifeboats have saved more than 138,000 lives. More and more people are using the sea for leisure and lifeboat crews are responding to an increased number of incidents relating to people engaged in recreational pursuits.

Lifeboat crews are mostly volunteers, who come from all walks of life, and give up their time and comfort to carry out rescues and save lives at sea on the lifeboats. With over 4,800 lifeboat crew members in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, of which over 340 are women, lifeboat crews are dedicated and make a major commitment – which could ultimately include risking their life. They respond at a moment's notice, no matter where they are or what they are doing when the pager goes off. Crews are regularly called away from their families, their beds and their work, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Often they’ll leave a place of work or comfort to readily exchange leisure and sleep to brave cold, wet and fatigue in situations that test their skill, strength and courage. Their lifesaving work is essential, often difficult and sometimes dangerous.

RNLI volunteers across the UK and Republic of Ireland are united by a willingness to commit time and energy to a cause about which they are passionate. It is because so many crewmembers, shore helpers, fundraisers and others are volunteers that such a high proportion of funds can be spent on first-class lifeboats and equipment.

They have one thing in common: they selflessly make time in their own lives to save others. These days, less than 10% of crew members come from maritime backgrounds. So it is essential that the RNLI provides first class training to make sure its crews have the skills they need to save lives.