RNLI Annual Operational Statistics Report 2008

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Cover photo: Nigel Millard Foreword

Welcome to the first combined annual report on RNLI rescue and prevention statistics.

This report has been compiled to communicate the levels of activity undertaken by our lifeboat crews, lifeguards and Prevention and Education teams in delivering the three strands of the RNLI’s concept of operations over the course of the year.

2008 was our third busiest year with just under 8,300 lifeboat launches and, despite the somewhat unpredictable nature of the Summer, our lifeguards were kept busy on the beaches attending over 9,500 incidents. Our Prevention and Education teams reached a combined audience of over 425,000 adults and children, delivering key safety messages, demonstrations and education programmes.

What this clearly demonstrates is the RNLI’s commitment to saving lives at sea. However, none of this could be achieved without the selfless dedication and enthusiasm of its volunteers, staff and, most importantly, the generosity of its supporters. Their donations allow us to deliver a service that is second to none.

Thank you.

Michael Vlasto Operations Director

1 Concept of Operations

The RNLI saves lives at sea throughout the UK and RoI by providing a professional service comprising three core activities:

• a strategically located fleet of lifeboats, crewed wherever possible by volunteers • a proactive lifeguard service provided mainly on a seasonal basis by a combination of paid and volunteer lifeguards • a safety, education and accident prevention advisory service that underpins the RNLI’s core purpose.

Strategic Performance Standards

The RNLI aims to:

• in all weathers, reach at least 90% of all casualties within 10 nautical miles of lifeboat stations within 30 minutes of launch and achieve an average call out from notification of 10 minutes

- The performance standard achieved in 2008 was 84.4% (2007: 85.3%). - An overall average launch time of 9 minutes was achieved in 2008 (2007: 8 minutes).

• in all weathers, reach all notified maritime casualties where a risk to life exists, out to a maximum of 100 nautical miles

- In 2008, lifeboats launched on service 8,293 times (2007: 8,175), aiding 7,612 people (2007: 7,846), and saving 288 lives (2007: 305).

• on designated RNLI beaches, provide a comprehensive prevention and rescue service that meets recognised international lifesaving standards

- In 2008, RNLI lifeguards attended 9,536 incidents on RNLI-patrolled beaches (2007: 8,201), aided 11,027 people (2007: 9,883) and saved 49 lives (2007: 62).

• deliver comprehensible, straightforward safety advice that positively influences behaviour, measured against recognised benchmarks.

2 Contents Page

Definitions 4 Lifeboat statistics overview 6 Lifeboat statistics 2004–8 7 Lifeboat statistics 2008 8 Lifeguard statistics overview 14 Lifeguard statistics 2008 15 Prevention statistics 2008 20 • Sea Safety 21 • Fishing Safety 22 • Beach Safety 23 • Education 24

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Photo: Nigel Millard Definitions

Lifeboats

Life saved – where, if not for the actions of the lifeboat and/or its crew, a life would have been lost.

Person landed – where a lifeboat rescues a person who is at risk, but not in a life-threatening situation.

Person brought in – where a lifeboat rescues a person who is at very little risk, if at all, but if left would have probably been at risk later.

Lifeguards

Life saved – where, if a lifeguard had not intervened, life would have been lost.

Rescue – where a lifeguard responds to a person at risk and physically returns them to shore or transfers them to another rescue craft.

Assistance – where a lifeguard aids a person in the sea who is at low risk but, if left, would be at risk.

Major first aid – where a lifeguard treats a casualty who is at risk due to sickness or injury and calls in external assistance.

Minor first aid – where a lifeguard treats a casualty due to sickness or injury who is at low or no risk but requires treatment to ensure a risk does not develop.

Missing/found person – where a lifeguard assists in the location of children separated from their parents/guardians or other persons who have been found or reported missing.

Near miss – where a person might have been injured by watercraft, powered or otherwise.

Search – an organised search with other search and rescue units for a missing person either at sea or on land; includes body recovery.

Preventative action – a high percentage of lifeguard activity is classed as preventative. This is recorded on daily log forms to give an indication of how often the lifeguards prevent situations developing on the beach.

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Photo: Nigel Millard Lifeboat statistics overview

2008

LIFEBOATS NUMBER

LAUNCHES 8,293

LIVES SAVED 288

PEOPLE LANDED 1,624

PEOPLE BROUGHT IN 5,700

PEOPLE RESCUED (SAVED, LANDED AND BROUGHT IN) 7,612 2008 was the RNLI’s third busiest year in its history with 8,293 lifeboat launches.

2004–8

PEOPLE RESCUED RESCUE CRAFT LAUNCHES LIVES SAVED (INCLUDING YEAR LIVES SAVED) ALB 2,494 115 3,331 2004 ILB 5,233 321 4,238 IRH 68 5 30

2004 TOTAL 7,795 441 7,599

ALB 2,712 110 3,632 2005 ILB 5,675 196 4,568 IRH 63 5 57

2005 TOTAL 8,450 311 8,257

ALB 2,600 56 3,343 2006 ILB 5,801 191 4,709 IRH 66 1 66

2006 TOTAL 8,467 248 8,118

ALB 2,578 81 3,296 2007 ILB 5,518 223 4,492 IRH 79 1 58

2007 TOTAL 8,175 305 7,846

ALB 2,539 103 3,319 2008 ILB 5,694 184 4,269 IRH 60 1 24

2008 TOTAL 8,293 288 7,612 ALB – all-weather lifeboat ILB – inshore lifeboat IRH – inshore rescue hovercraft

6 Lifeboat statistics 2004–8

Lifeboat launches and numbers of people rescued (including lives saved)

Launches 8,600

People rescued 8,450 8,467 8,400 8,293 8,257 8,200 8,118 8,175

8,000 7,846 7,795 7,800

7,599 7,612 YEAR LIVES SAVED 7,600

2004 441 7,400 2005 311 Number of launchesNumber of and people rescued 2006 248 7,200 2007 305

2008 288 7,000

0 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Year Lifeboat launches by division

YEAR/NUMBER OF LAUNCHES Division 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

EAST 2,418 2,556 2,486 2,348 2,707

IRELAND 912 961 936 951 876

NORTH 1,133 1,117 1,154 1,147 1,035

SCOTLAND 946 1,056 1,050 1,032 973

SOUTH 1,352 1,578 1,584 1,546 1,574

WEST 1,013 1,165 1,245 1,136 1,114

NO DIVISION 21 17 12 15 14 (ON-PASSAGE SERVICES) TOTAL 7,795 8,450 8,467 8,175 8,293 Lifeboat launches by month

1,800 2004

2005 1,600

2006 1,400 2007

2008 1,200

1,000

800 Number of launchesNumber of 600

400

200

0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Months The peaks reflect good weather and increased leisure activity around the coast and at sea. 7 Lifeboat statistics 2008

By division

NUMBER OF NUMBER OF TOTAL PEOPLE RESCUED LIFEBOAT LAUNCHES LIVES SAVED LIFEBOATS (INCLUDING LIVES SAVED) DIVISION STATIONS EAST 43 69 2,707 68 2,203

IRELAND 43 55 876 34 1,010

NORTH 33 54 1,035 40 831

SCOTLAND 45 53 973 50 768

SOUTH 35 55 1,574 50 1,675

WEST 36 52 1,114 46 1,122 NO DIVISION (ON-PASSAGE SERVICES) N/A N/A 14 0 3

TOTAL 235 338 8,293 288 7,612

Number of lifeboat launches in varying wind speeds

1,800 1,613 1,600 1,531 1,423

1,400 1,290

1,200

978 1,000

800 649

Number of launchesNumber of 600

400 319 299

200 131 44 13 2 1

0 – Calm (<1)0 – Calm (1–3) airs 1 – Light (4–6) breeze 2 – Light (7–10) breeze 3 – Gentle (11–16) breeze 4 – Moderate (17–21) breeze 5 – Fresh (22–27) breeze 6 – Strong (28–33) gale 7 – Near (34–40) 8 – Gale (41–47) gale 9 – Severe 10 11 12 – Violent storm (56–63) storm – Violent – Hurricane (64–71) – Hurricane – Storm (48–55) – Storm

Wind force (speed in knots)

Number of lifeboat services performed in daylight/darkness

NUMBER OF LIFEBOAT SERVICES IN … DIVISION % IN DARKNESS DAYLIGHT DARKNESS

EAST 1,622 1,085 40.1

IRELAND 515 361 41.2

NORTH 679 356 34.4

SCOTLAND 607 366 37.6

SOUTH 977 597 37.9

WEST 787 327 29.4 NO DIVISION (ON-PASSAGE SERVICES) 9 5 35.7 TOTAL 5,196 3,097 36.6 (average)

8 Iife guards

Casualty Handover major rst aid 2008 Missing/found - age ranges Lifeboat statistics 2008

Lifeboat launch outcomes

2% 1% Hoaxes (probable and confirmed)Iife boats No service – lifeboat unsuitable 3% Unsuccessful search 7% Resolved unaided 60% Gave assistance

13% False alarm

14% Others assisted casualty

First information received from: Lifeboat launch outcomes 2008 Types of Casualty SOURCE NUMBER OF LAUNCHES %

HM COASTGUARD 6,812 82.14

IRISH COAST GUARD 426 5.14

LIFEBOAT STATION PERSONNEL 287 3.46

CASUALTY ITSELF 240 2.89

MEMBER OF PUBLIC 183 2.21

POLICE 64 0.77

COAST RADIO STATION 63 0.76

HARBOUR MASTER 54 0.65

ANOTHER VESSEL 48 0.58

LOCAL MEDICAL PERSONNEL 44 0.53

OTHER 32 0.39

RESCUE COORDINATOR OTHER 11 0.13

IRISH GARDA 11 0.13

LOCAL PILOTS OFFICE 8 0.10

CHANNEL ISLES MRCC 6 0.08

RSPCA 1 0.01

MOD UNITS 1 0.01

ISLE OF MAN COASTGUARD 1 0.01

LOCAL COASTWATCH 1 0.01

TOTAL 8,293 100.00

9 Lifeboat statistics 2008

Time to launch from receipt of first information

ALB 2,500

ILB 2,000 IRH

1,500

1,000 Number of launchesNumber of 500 Iife guards 0 0–5 6–10 11–15 16–20 21–25 26–30 31–40 40–60 60+ Time to launch (minutes) Over 50% of launches occur within 15 minutes of receipt of the first information. Delayed launches can occur while crews await further information.

Distance to casualty

ALB 6,000

ILB 4,865 5,000 IRH

4,000

3,000

2,000

Number of launchesNumber of 1,441

726 1,000 683 Casualty Handover major rst aid 2008 Missing/found267 - age ranges 52 8 89 135 11 13 3 0 0 0 0 0–5 6–10 11–20 21–50 50+ Distance (nautical miles)

Types of casualty

3% 2% Iife boats Commercial/MOD Unidentified/Distress 5% <1% Miscellaneous Aircraft

7% Fishing vessels 23% Sail pleasurecraft 9% Manual pleasurecraft

13% Persons ashore 22% Power pleasurecraft

16% Persons in the water

(Figures have been rounded to the nearest 1%.)

Over 50% of lifeboat launches are to pleasurecraft. Lifeboat launch outcomes 2008 Types of Casualty

10 Lifeboat statistics 2008

Launches to various casualties

NUMBER OF NUMBER OF CASUALTY % CASUALTY % LAUNCHES LAUNCHES SAIL PLEASURECRAFT FISHING VESSELS

YACHT WITH AN AUXILIARY ENGINE 1,259 15.18 FISHING VESSEL (SMALL) 363 4.38

SAILING DINGHY 210 2.53 FISHING VESSEL (LARGE) 209 2.52

SAILBOARD 130 1.57 ANGLING VESSEL 38 0.46

KITEBOARD 129 1.56 SUB-TOTAL 610 7.36 SAIL YACHT (NO ENGINE) 53 0.64 MISCELLANEOUS SAILING CATAMARAN WITH AUXILIARY ENGINE 42 0.51 ANIMAL 112 1.35 SAILING MULTIHULL 29 0.35 BODY RECOVERY 103 1.27 SAILING TRAINING VESSEL 16 0.19 MOTOR VEHICLE 71 0.86 SUB-TOTAL 1,868 22.53 OBJECT 71 0.86

POWER PLEASURECRAFT VESSEL (OTHER) 26 0.31

LARGE POWERBOAT WITH CABIN 672 8.10 SAFETY BOAT 18 0.22

SMALL OPEN POWERBOAT 584 7.04 RNLI LIFEBOAT 9 0.11

SMALL POWERBOAT WITH CABIN 258 3.11 LIGHTHOUSE 2 0.02

LARGE OPEN POWERBOAT 169 2.04 SUB-TOTAL 412 5.00 PERSONAL WATERCRAFT 123 1.48 COMMERCIAL/MOD DIVING BOAT 60 0.72 PASSENGER VESSEL 63 0.76 POWERED TRAINING VESSEL 1 0.01 LARGE MERCHANT VESSEL 45 0.54 SUB-TOTAL 1,867 22.50 TUG/BARGE 40 0.48

PERSONS IN THE WATER SMALL MERCHANT VESSEL 21 0.25

PERSON IN WATER 488 5.88 SUPPORT VESSEL 8 0.10

PERSON MISSING 400 4.82 HARBOUR LAUNCH 7 0.08

BATHER 231 2.79 TANKER (LARGE) 7 0.08

PERSON FALLEN FROM JETTY 78 0.94 HOVERCRAFT 6 0.07

DIVER 63 0.76 TENDER TO A COMMERCIAL CRAFT 6 0.07

PERSON FALLEN FROM CLIFF 40 0.48 NAVAL VESSEL 3 0.05

PERSON 9 0.11 MOD TENDER 2 0.02

WATERSKIER 1 0.01 RIG (STANDBY) 2 0.02

SUB-TOTAL 1,310 15.79 TANKER (SMALL) 2 0.02

RIG (AFLOAT) 1 0.01 PERSONS ASHORE RIG (FIXED) 1 0.01 PERSON ON MAN-MADE STRUCTURE 303 3.65 SUB-TOTAL 214 2.56 PERSON ON SHORELINE 222 2.68

PERSON ON ROCKS 199 2.40 UNIDENTIFIED/DISTRESS

PERSON ON SANDBANK 136 1.64 DISTRESS SIGNAL 195 2.35

PERSON ON ISLAND 115 1.39 SUB-TOTAL 195 2.35 PERSON ILL 39 0.47 AIRCRAFT CLIFF CLIMBER 26 0.31 AIRPLANE 10 0.12 PERSON INJURED 16 0.19 AIRCRAFT 9 0.11 SUB-TOTAL 1,056 12.73 HELICOPTER 2 0.02

MANUAL PLEASURECRAFT SUB-TOTAL 21 0.25

CANOE/KAYAK 241 2.91 GRAND TOTAL 8,293 100.00 INFLATABLE DINGHY 178 2.15

ROWING BOAT 101 1.22

TENDER TO A PLEASURECRAFT 88 1.06

SURFBOARD 78 0.94

AIR-BED 44 0.53

MANUAL CRAFT 10 0.12

SUB-TOTAL 740 8.93

11 Lifeboat statistics 2008

Causes of lifeboat services

CAUSE TOTAL %

MACHINERY FAILURE 1,501 18.10

STRANDING OR GROUNDING 678 8.18

PERSON IN DISTRESS 587 7.08

PERSON IN DANGER OF DROWNING 578 6.97

VESSEL THOUGHT TO BE IN TROUBLE 469 5.66

VESSEL MEETING ADVERSE CONDITIONS 456 5.50

PERSON MISSING 445 5.37

CAPSIZE 319 3.85

FOULED PROPELLER OR IMPELLER 307 3.70

PERSON CUT OFF BY TIDE 291 3.51

ILL CREWMAN 270 3.26

VESSEL ABANDONED, DERELICT OR ADRIFT 245 2.95

LEAKS OR SWAMPING 242 2.92

MAN OVERBOARD 230 2.77

PERSON STRANDED 177 2.13

SAIL FAILURE OR DISMASTING 164 1.98

VESSEL OVERDUE 155 1.87

OUT OF FUEL 134 1.62

PERSON INJURED 117 1.41

STEERING FAILURE 116 1.40

ANIMAL IN TROUBLE 106 1.28

FIRE 104 1.25

BODY RECOVERY 103 1.24

DOCTOR OR AMBULANCE CALL 81 0.98

NOT SPECIFIED 72 0.87

MOTOR VEHICLE IN THE SEA 64 0.77

CASUALTY UNSURE OF ITS POSITION 56 0.68

VESSEL DRAGGING ITS ANCHOR 49 0.59

PERSON SUFFERING ILLNESS 39 0.47

COLLISION 29 0.35

OTHER 26 0.31

PERSON TO BE TAKEN ASHORE FROM A VESSEL 23 0.28

PERSON IN DANGER OF BEING CARRIED AWAY BY TIDE 20 0.24

UNEXPLODED BOMB OR MINE 11 0.13

AIRCRAFT CRASHED 10 0.12

AIRCRAFT THOUGHT TO BE IN TROUBLE 7 0.07

CARGO SHIFTED 4 0.05

FISHING GEAR SNAGGED ON UNDERWATER OBSTRUCTION 4 0.05

FLOODING 2 0.02

LIFEBOAT REQUESTED TO STAND BY AN AIRCRAFT 2 0.02

TOTAL 8,293 100.00

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Photo: Nigel Millard Lifeguard statistics overview

2008

LIFEGUARDS NUMBER

INCIDENTS 9,536

LIVES SAVED 49

PEOPLE AIDED 11,027

2004–8

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

NUMBER OF LIFEGUARD UNITS 57 59 62 71 110

TOTAL NUMBER OF INCIDENTS 8,001 8,613 9,411 8,201 9,536

NUMBER OF PEOPLE AIDED

LIVES SAVED 53 71 63 62 49

RESCUE 640 718 855 1,288 1,482

ASSISTANCE 1,308 1,542 1,401 1,330 1,451

MAJOR FIRST AID 303 403 459 707 612

MINOR FIRST AID 6,076 6,326 6,688 5,131 6,301

SEARCH 55 50 74 56 73

NEAR MISS 116 90 91 298 59

MISSING/FOUND 460 673 715 894 865

OTHER 30 57 102 117 135

TOTAL 9,041 9,930 10,448 9,883 11,027

Incidents by month 2004–8

5,000 2004

2005 4,500

2006 4,000 2007

2008 3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000 Number of incidents Number of

1,500

1,000

500

0

Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Months

14 Lifeguard statistics 2008

Preventative actions

NUMBER OF PREVENTATIVE ACTIONS DIVISION NUMBER OF LIFEGUARD UNITS CARRIED OUT BY LIFEGUARDS EAST 8 22,059

SOUTH 89 768,733

WEST 13 88,583

TOTAL 110 879,375

Incident coordination of Casualty Types

0.03% 95.7% - age ranges Missing/found Other Lifeguard 0.08% RNLI inshore lifeboat 0.13% Fire 0.17% SAR helicopter 0.17% Police 0.17% Public 1.65% 1.9% Ambulance Coastguard

Rescue equipment used