Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service
Encyclopedia
Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (abbreviated to GAFIRS) is an independent Inshore Rescue Lifeboat Service located at Stokes Bay
on the peninsula of Gosport
, Hampshire
. The service provides free marine rescue cover in the Solent
from Portsmouth Harbour
to Titchfield Haven, on the approaching shores of Southampton Waters. GAFIRS are on call with HM Coastguard 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, crews share duties on Saturdays and Sundays at the lifeboat station to provide immediate assistance to any vessel or person which requires the services assistance. When lifeboat crews are not on station, they are still ready for a immediate launch via pager callout. Additionally to the frontline lifeboat service, GAFIRS is also available to the counties other emergency services to respond to inland incidents such as flooding, snow rescue and inland water rescues. Statistics show that from the time of a pager callout, wherever crew members may be, to the time that the lifeboat is launched on service, on average takes under 12 minutes.
The Solent is a strait between mainland England
and the Isle of Wight
providing a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels, especially for pleasure craft
use, which is therefore why the Solent is the busiest waterway in Europe thus resulting in one of the highest density of declared lifeboat stations in the world which includes eight independently run stations. Because of this, the most recent available statistics show that, Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service is the 5th busiest lifeboat station in the UK.
1601 incidents attended since 1996.
2009 was the organisations 40th anniversary
. It is powered by a 300-hp Iveco diesel turbo engine driving a Castoldi water jet. The craft's speed is over 35 knots, and it can reach any part of its patrol area within 10 minutes of launch. Equipment carried includes sophisticated navigation equipment including radar
, chart plotting, GPS (including AIS to allow tracking from the station) and an echo sounder, advanced first aid equipment, search and flood lighting, flares, two fixed VHF radios DSC Compatible and one VHF handportable.
equipment and damage control equipment.
equipment and rescue stretcher
s. Additionally it carries light rescue tools and scene lighting equipment for protracted incidents. The vehicle is also fitted with emergency blue lights and sirens which can be used by trained and licensed personnel (who are all part of the emergency services as a profession.)
s and on the beach, as well as traditional lifeguard
skills. The cadets progress through the service and it is hoped that some will progress to training as boat crew at the age of 18 years, many of the cadets have gone on to complete their gold Duke of Edinburgh's Awards. The cadets also take part in training exercises with the rescue boats, often for mud rescue, and provide safety support when the rescue divers train in the local area. The service uses canoes for routine patrols and rescue work along the coastline of the area and additionally in support of the dive/mud rescue teams. The canoes are normally paddled by the cadet section.
The canoes used are the 'Shark' rescue canoe, Selki rescue canoe, Plastic Sea Boats, The Shark was designed by the service to withstand the rigours of life as a rescue craft, In total the service has 14 rescue canoes and two paddle boards.
In 2010, GAFIRS joined an awareness campaign in union with most independent lifeboat stations in the United Kingdom to illustrate and remove the common misconception of the public that there is only one charity “Saving Lives at Sea.” One of the important aims of the campaign "Go Orange for Indie Lifeboat" is to educate members of the public that their donation to the RNLI may not actually be going towards their local lifeboat station which is actually an independent, such as GAFIRS or Ryde Inshore Rescue.
situation it is tasked to, from assisting vessels which have lost power, to medical emergencies which require the knowledge and skills of members who are full time Paramedics outside the service. For this reason, weekly training sessions are held to simulate and train for every eventuality which crews could be placed in.
The service operates two frontline boats (known as Gosport Rescue 1 and Gosport Rescue 3) in addition to a canoe lifeguard section and an inland incident support vehicle "Gosport Rescue Mobile" which is also a ambulance
where required. Other training includes dive rescue, medical rescue and firefighting.
Stokes Bay
Stokes Bay is an area of the Solent that lies just south of Gosport, between Portsmouth and Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire. There is a shingle beach that has a great view of Ryde and East Cowes on the Isle of Wight to the south and also Fawley in the south west. The village of Alverstoke is close by...
on the peninsula of Gosport
Gosport
Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. The service provides free marine rescue cover in the Solent
Solent
The Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...
from Portsmouth Harbour
Portsmouth Harbour
Portsmouth Harbour is a large natural harbour in Hampshire, England. Geographically it is a ria: formerly it was the valley of a stream flowing from Portsdown into the Solent River. The city of Portsmouth lies to the east on Portsea Island, and Gosport to the west on the mainland...
to Titchfield Haven, on the approaching shores of Southampton Waters. GAFIRS are on call with HM Coastguard 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, crews share duties on Saturdays and Sundays at the lifeboat station to provide immediate assistance to any vessel or person which requires the services assistance. When lifeboat crews are not on station, they are still ready for a immediate launch via pager callout. Additionally to the frontline lifeboat service, GAFIRS is also available to the counties other emergency services to respond to inland incidents such as flooding, snow rescue and inland water rescues. Statistics show that from the time of a pager callout, wherever crew members may be, to the time that the lifeboat is launched on service, on average takes under 12 minutes.
The Solent is a strait between mainland England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
providing a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels, especially for pleasure craft
Pleasure craft
A pleasure craft is a boat used for personal, family, and sometimes sportsmanlike recreation. Typically such watercraft are motorized and are used for holidays, for example on a river, lake, canal or waterway. Pleasure craft are normally kept at a marina...
use, which is therefore why the Solent is the busiest waterway in Europe thus resulting in one of the highest density of declared lifeboat stations in the world which includes eight independently run stations. Because of this, the most recent available statistics show that, Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service is the 5th busiest lifeboat station in the UK.
| Year | Incidents |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 113 |
| 2009 | 138 |
| 2008 | 147 |
| 2007 | 93 |
| 2006 | 123 |
| 2005 | 108 |
1601 incidents attended since 1996.
2009 was the organisations 40th anniversary
Gosport Lifeboat
Previously known as "Gosport Rescue 1," GAFIRS' frontline boat is a fully self-righting 7.4-metre Avon rigid-hulled inflatable boatInflatable boat
An inflatable boat is a lightweight boat constructed with its sides and bow made of flexible tubes containing pressurised gas. For smaller boats, the floor and hull beneath it is often flexible. On boats longer than , the floor often consists of three to five rigid plywood or aluminium sheets fixed...
. It is powered by a 300-hp Iveco diesel turbo engine driving a Castoldi water jet. The craft's speed is over 35 knots, and it can reach any part of its patrol area within 10 minutes of launch. Equipment carried includes sophisticated navigation equipment including radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
, chart plotting, GPS (including AIS to allow tracking from the station) and an echo sounder, advanced first aid equipment, search and flood lighting, flares, two fixed VHF radios DSC Compatible and one VHF handportable.
Gosport ILB
Gosport ILB (Inshore Lifeboat) is a 4.5-metre Avon WB450 and has been designed by the service as a patrol craft and secondary lifeboat. It is powered by a single 60-hp outboard engine. A specially designed trailer enables her to be taken to inland incidents, like Gosport Lifeboat it is equipped for rescue work including, flares (including para illuminates), tow lines, GPS (including AIS to allow tracking from the station) One VHF radio DSC Compatible, first aidFirst aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
equipment and damage control equipment.
Gosport Rescue Mobile
Gosport Rescue Mobile is GAFIRS' long-wheelbase landrover, which acts as an incident support vehicle both for inland incidents and shoreside assistant for the organisations rescue craft. Gosport Rescue Mobile carries first aid, oxygen, ParamedicParamedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
equipment and rescue stretcher
Stretcher
A stretcher is a medical device used to carry casualties or an incapacitated person from one place to another. It is a simple type of litter, and still called by that name in some cases....
s. Additionally it carries light rescue tools and scene lighting equipment for protracted incidents. The vehicle is also fitted with emergency blue lights and sirens which can be used by trained and licensed personnel (who are all part of the emergency services as a profession.)
Cadets and Canoe Lifeguard Section
The organisation has a Cadet Section for youths between the ages of 14 and 18. The aim of the section is to teach the youngsters lifesaving skills both in canoeCanoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s and on the beach, as well as traditional lifeguard
Lifeguard
A lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Lifeguards are strong swimmers and trained in first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on...
skills. The cadets progress through the service and it is hoped that some will progress to training as boat crew at the age of 18 years, many of the cadets have gone on to complete their gold Duke of Edinburgh's Awards. The cadets also take part in training exercises with the rescue boats, often for mud rescue, and provide safety support when the rescue divers train in the local area. The service uses canoes for routine patrols and rescue work along the coastline of the area and additionally in support of the dive/mud rescue teams. The canoes are normally paddled by the cadet section.
The canoes used are the 'Shark' rescue canoe, Selki rescue canoe, Plastic Sea Boats, The Shark was designed by the service to withstand the rigours of life as a rescue craft, In total the service has 14 rescue canoes and two paddle boards.
Independent of the RNLI
It is important to note that, like one of every six lifeboat stations in the UK, GAFIRS is independent of the RNLI. GAFIRS is not supported in any way by the leading lifeboat charity, nor does it receive any direct funding from the government and relies on 100% public donations.In 2010, GAFIRS joined an awareness campaign in union with most independent lifeboat stations in the United Kingdom to illustrate and remove the common misconception of the public that there is only one charity “Saving Lives at Sea.” One of the important aims of the campaign "Go Orange for Indie Lifeboat" is to educate members of the public that their donation to the RNLI may not actually be going towards their local lifeboat station which is actually an independent, such as GAFIRS or Ryde Inshore Rescue.
Training Scheme
GAFIRS upholds its responsibility to provide the best support in any search and rescueSearch and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
situation it is tasked to, from assisting vessels which have lost power, to medical emergencies which require the knowledge and skills of members who are full time Paramedics outside the service. For this reason, weekly training sessions are held to simulate and train for every eventuality which crews could be placed in.
The service operates two frontline boats (known as Gosport Rescue 1 and Gosport Rescue 3) in addition to a canoe lifeguard section and an inland incident support vehicle "Gosport Rescue Mobile" which is also a ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
where required. Other training includes dive rescue, medical rescue and firefighting.