Pembrokeshire RNLI Volunteer Continues To Help In Flood Hit England

: Members of the RNLI’s Rapid Response Unit in Gloucester.; Image by: RNLI

by Danielle Rush

July 24, 2007

Richard Bowles, RNLI volunteer from Little and Broadhaven is one of the few Welsh volunteers continuing to help with flood relief efforts in Central England.

The RNLI charity’s volunteers have been working through the night, rescuing numerous flood victims and assisting emergency services.

The RNLI’s Rapid Response Unit has been providing non-stop assistance in the worst hit areas, rescuing well over 120 people since the early hours of Saturday morning.

At 06:25 this morning, members of the team from across the UK rescued a man and seven animals, including four Rottweilers at Longford before commencing a search of the area, which resulted in the rescue of 10 more people. Two elderly people trapped on Western Parade were also brought to safety, as was a lady trapped in Deerhurst.

One of the three teams spent yesterday afternoon helping to transport power supply workers and a portable generator to the Castle Meads switching station, in a bid to ensure the safety of the main supplies. Their volunteer colleagues helped to search the Longford area and helped evacuate people from Tewkesbury Road, before moving to Twigworth to help distribute drinking water. Yesterday’s tasks also included transporting a road traffic accident casualty across flood water to an onward journey to hospital.

The original volunteers from the RNLI’s Rapid Response Unit travelled to Worcestershire on Friday evening after responding to a request from local authorities. The initial team, comprising 11 people and four lifeboats commenced operations at 3.15am Saturday. Further RNLI volunteers trained in swift water rescue were drafted in to help on Saturday morning.

Andy Clift, RNLI Divisional Inspector for the West, who is co-ordinating activity says, "Many of the original RNLI volunteers, some who had worked 48 hours have now been sent home to take a break or return to their everyday jobs. We still have a full team in operation, who are continuing to respond to emergency calls.

"This morning we have taken advantage of a small lull in activities which has enabled us to carry out maintenance checks on the remaining boats and equipment in turn."

The RNLI Rapid Response Unit volunteers deployed are on constant readiness to respond to flooding emergencies anywhere in the world, as part of their role with the charity’s Rapid Response Unit.

The RNLI’s Rapid Response Unit, which responds both home and abroad and consists of three teams of 20 people, is always at the ready with one team on 24 hour standby, a econd team at 14 days readiness and a third to act as reserves.

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