Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution ( RNLI ) is the UK sea rescue organization. As a nonprofit volunteer organization the RNLI operates over 400 lifeboat, which in 2009 had more than 9,000 applications. Operational area of the RNLI are the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, and some inland waters of the United Kingdom.
The development of the UK sea rescue
At the beginning of the 19th century, there was still no central organization of search and rescue system in the UK, but already irregular stationed on the coast Lifeboats with partially inadequate equipment.
As a result of an appeal by Sir William Hillary on the Isle of Man 1823 on March 4, 1824, the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck ( NIPLS ) (English: National means for the preservation of life in shipwreck ) was founded.
Although this company was quite successful in ( 6716 Rescued 1824-1849 ), continued to exist local rescue teams.
After an accident on December 4, 1849 in which 20 pilots died during a rescue operation, it became a large part of the British people behind the rescue thought, and there was a reform of the rescue system.
Thus arose in 1854 from the NIPLS and founded in 1839 company Shipwrecked Fishermen And Mariners' Benevolent Society (German: Charity Society for shipwrecked sailors and fishermen ) which still exists today RNLI.
In the same year Korkweste was developed by the RNLI Inspector Captain Ward, who belonged to the standard equipment of the rescue teams in the UK and in other countries for many years.
In Stromness on Orkney the Saltaire was stationed in 1867 as the first lifeboat of the new organization.
On March 17, 1969, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution ( RNLI ) lost her lifeboat TGB during a deployment ride in a hurricane. It was probably hit by a 30 meter high freak wave and capsized. All eight crew members died in this accident. The accident was the occasion for significant design improvements in the lifeboats of the RNLI.
Organization of the RNLI
As the German or the Dutch rescue organization, the RNLI funded by donations and grants to the public.
Unlike in Germany, where the GMRS is responsible for the organization of search and rescue system alone, the RNLI is part of the British Ministry of Transport. The Ministry has used a so-called search and rescue committee of the United Kingdom, in which employees of different organizations that may be involved in the rescue - such as the Red Cross, Coast Guard, off- shore industry, RNLI - operate.
The RNLI entertained in 2006 a total of 323 boats and ships 10 different classes and 4 hovercrafts to 231 stations along the looked after by their coasts. In addition, 112 reserve boats and a reserve hovercraft were available. The fleet consisted of units 5 to 17 meters.
The RNLI is now also responsible for the rescue of inland waters and on beaches.
2006, the RNLI had over 200,000 members and 4,800 crew members (mostly volunteers), of which about 340 women.
The cost of their organization are the RNLI with € 500,700 per day.
Track record of the RNLI
Since its founding until 2006 over 144,000 castaways were rescued.