WATER RESCUE UNITS

Strathclyde Police are responsible for Water Rescue on the River Clyde and previously they used the service provided by George Parsonage of the Glasgow Humane Society who patrolled the waters for more than 25 years.
But Health and Safety rules have meant that Strathclyde Police has had to stop using George's services and they have asked Strathclyde Fire and Rescue to take over Water Rescues .
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue already respond to water incidents on Lochs and other inland water sources and are taking over responsibility for rescue services on the river between the Weir at Glasgow Green and the Erskine Bridge. They will do this using four three seater Jet-Skis, capable of 55mph, and two 5.5 metre rescue boats. Two Jet-Skis on a trailer will be stationed at Knightswood and Renfrew Fire Stations and towed to the incident by a Ford Ranger crewed by two firefighters with the rest of the crew proceeding to the incident on the Pump, this is the Level 2 Water Rescue Response. The Jet-Skis are used in pairs and each one can tow a floating stretcher.
The Level 1 response is provided by a pump which carries, 2 life jackets, 2 off 25 metre throw lines and an inflatable hose (a length of hose which is fitted with a blank cap at one end and an adapter at the other to which a BA cylinder is attached to inflate the hose which is then pushed out to the casualty. The casualty then grabs hold of the floating hose and is pulled ashore.) In a Level 1 response the attending crew do not enter the water but carry out the rescue from the shore line, thus maintaining crew safety.
The Level 2 response consists of specially trained crews, strategically placed throughout the Brigade who are trained in the use of boats and other specialised equipment. This equipment allows those personnel to carry out rescues, by entering the water, to carry out ‘rescue swims’. The equipment at their disposal includes boats, drysuits, personal flotation devices, and inflatable rescue paths. These crews also have at their disposal a mud lance, which can be used to inject water or air into mud or unstable ground to assist in the rescue and release of persons or animals trapped in this type of environment. The Level 2 response is always mobilised in support of the Level 1 response to provide additional support and expertise in water rescue incidents.
The level 3 response consist of boats which can go into tidal waters and the crews are trained to Royal Yachting Club standards and in the use of Marine Band radios.
The introduction of this new water rescue equipment and the additional training given to Brigade personnel, will allow the Brigade to provide a more comprehensive water rescue service to the public whilst protecting Brigade personnel from injury during this extremely hazardous type of rescue.

Under an Efficient Government Fund an expression of interest has been applied for by Strathclyde Fire and Rescue in partnership with Glasgow Community Safety Partnership, Glasgow Nautical College and Strathclyde Police. It will provide a single, multi-agency resource for providing facilities for water rescue, policing and training based at the Glasgow Nautical College and covering the upper Clyde area.
There are a lot of big words and waffling in the document but basically what I take from it is a boat will be moored on the river at the Glasgow Nautical College which will be crewed by personnel from Polmadie Fire Station whenever a rescue is required on the upper Clyde. This boat may also be used for training by the college and the college will train the firefighters.
January 23, 2006

The SEV at Knightswood is crewed by a dedicated crew whereas the SEV at Renfrew is crewed by two firefighters off the pump and the rest of the crew follow as support in the pump.

Knightswood has been given a Pioner Multi boat. The Multi has a bow door system like a landing craft which is lowered by a winch and casualties are loaded into the boat by the soft entry bow. The boat also has two longitudinal keels to enhance it’s sea keeping qualities. As a result of getting this boat the two Jet Skis have been temporarily withdrawn from Knightswood. The two Jet Skis are still on the run at Renfrew along with a Zodiac boat. The two XS Ribs are to be used for training.

Approx Specification for Pioner Multi
Length              5.05m             Width                        1.95m              Draught             22cm
Weight             420kg              Passengers                8                      Capacity           1200kg
Max hp            70                    Design Category C    Inshore

WATER RESCUE

 
SFR has been working in conjunction with other public bodies for some time to provide better services to the general public of Strathclyde to deliver the best, most effective service we can. Due to retirement, under Health & Safety laws, of the Glasgow Humane Society, one section of Strathclyde was left uncovered, from the Erskine Bridge to the Nautical College in the City Centre.
As there are more people dying in the water than there are dying in fires it was quickly realised that Water Rescue would have to become a new branch of SFR’s ever widening skills base. This was instantly embraced and SFR now have a disposition of Water Rescue equipment at present, as follows: 

Renfrew -
2 Personal Water Craft, (more commonly known as Jet Skis)
1 Zodiac Boat
1 Flotation Aid 

Knightswood -
2 Personal Water Craft
1 Pioner Rescue (Boat with drop-down front for easy access for rescuing casualties from the water)
1 Zodiac boat 

Polmadie -
1 Pioner Rescue (Boat with drop-down front) This will be situated at the Glasgow Nautical College on a swing-arm with an electrical winch, with the boat sitting on davits.
1 Zodiac boat. 

As with all things, SFR will be monitoring the effectiveness of this disposition to ensure that the equipment will be used to its full potential, so that we offer the best service to all Strathclyde residents.
On receipt of these pieces of equipment an intensive training programme was implemented to bring all station personnel up to speed with the equipment and give them the myriad of skills needed to allow SFR to provide this valuable and essential service to all in Strathclyde.
Once all the technical input had been given, on site practical training was launched with all 4 Watches of each station receiving water training on the River Clyde. This began with training at Port Glasgow on the RIBs - Rigid Inflatable Boats - by the RYA Principal Ian Tonner. A RIB is a rigid hulled boat with an inflatable Sponson (the rubber tubing which runs along the top edge of the boat’s hull). They then went upriver to the city water to hone their boat management skills on the Poiner Multi. It has a very shallow draft of only 22 centimetres which makes it perfect to skim over the water, with the added bonus of the drop-down front for getting casualties on board with the minimum of difficulty. This training helped to familiarise the crews not only with the new equipment but also with the hazards faced whilst on the river, such as old railway sleepers, discarded tyres, branches of trees, all of which float just under the surface of the water, and even a baby seal which was spotted up at Yarrows. At the same time the Watch personnel were soaking in the topography of the bridges, slipways and under-pier mazes which exist along the Glasgow docksides.
The Jet Skis are powered by an 1100 cc Yamaha MC R1 engine which gives them an amazing speed on the water. They are capable of reaching over 60 mph depending on the weather conditions, but when you are so low down on the water this feels like 120 mph to the operator. They are definitely not toys and need to be treated with great respect. It is this power, lack of training and lack of respect which results in so many accidents abroad to holidaymakers who hire them for fun.
They can seat a maximum of three people but are more comfortable with two on board. They can be launched at the Renfrew slip and be at the Nautical College within 6/7 minutes. The Jet Skis are very manoeuvrable and in the words of old Arthur Montford “they can turn on a sixpence”. They have now been fitted with a Reverse Bucket which greatly helps stability. Before the Reverse Buckets were fitted the jet skis bobbed about the water but can now be controlled much better and be stabilised on one point.
All trained personnel have to wear the correct Personal Protective Equipment which consists of a Drysuit, a protective helmet and a Personal Flotation Device (Buoyancy Aid) which gives the wearer great stability should they need to go into the water itself. For extreme winter conditions there is also a woollen innersuit to be worn under the drysuit, which keeps the operator warm in all temperatures of water.
The PFD also comes equipped with a knife, carabineer clip and a built-in safety line, which will be tied off when an aggressive swim is needed to reach a casualty. This safety line has a quick-release capability in case the line gets snagged and tries to drag the wearer underwater. The operators also have to wear a Wrist Harness which has a fuel cut-off switch to cut the engine should the wearer fall off or overboard. The Boats and the Jet Skis cannot be started till this cutoff switch is reattached.
While the Boat crews work in threes, the operators of the Jet Skis have to work in pairs, in sight of each other. All water equipment operators have to have their visors on their helmets down when on the water to keep them safe from water borne hazards and the speeds they do when out on a rescue. There are lots of nasties on the Clyde and all operators have had to be inoculated against the likes of Hepatitis B & C, Polio, Tetanus etc.
Ongoing training keeps the skills levels up for the personnel and operators practice capsize drills, simulated rescues from piers or the sides of large boats, search and rescue under the network of wooden pier supports etc. As Watch Manager John Lonergan from White Watch Renfrew said “These Jet Skis are fast, reliable and are particularly great for getting into nooks and crannies. The Boats and Jet Skis give us an especially quick response which helps up to be in situ rapidly to render whatever services are needed This is of crucial importance when we are dealing with people in the water and can be the difference between rescuing someone and recovering a body.”
The crews have an excellent relationship with the on-water personnel and all water users are now used to seeing SFR Water Rescue Equipment on the Clyde, and just like on land they make way for our Jet Skis and Pioner Boats as we proceed to an incident. Every body is taken off the river by the Boats, not the Jet Skis.
As John Lonergan says “The beauty of the Jet Skis means that we can get to the location, identify the scenario and stabilise the situation till the boat comes to carry the casualty to land. An added bonus of the Jet Skis is that we can get into inaccessible areas which the rigid boats just cannot manage, such as under arches, pontoons, piers etc. It is much like a motorbike and a car on land — they can both do different things but both complement each other in certain situations.”
Given the explosion of waterfront developments currently under construction along the banks of the Clyde, from housing to leisure to entertainment, there seems more than ever now the need for these rapid response machines.
Hopefully in the future SFR can set about decreasing the number of water related fatalities in Strathclyde through a combination of education, safety measures and the best trained and best equipped Water Rescue section of any Fire & Rescue Service in Britain.
(Off the Run. Issue 2.) 

Friday 27 April 2007
A Royal Occasion
Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal today officially opened the River Clyde Water Rescue Centre in the heart of Glasgow.
The centre is the product of a partnership between Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, which operates the water rescue service on the river, and Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, where the centre is based.
At today’s opening, the Princess Royal watched Strathclyde Fire & Rescue crews practice manoeuvres in their rescue launches. The boats then tied up at a pontoon that has been built specifically for the water rescue service at the College’s Seamanship Centre on the south bank of the Clyde near the city centre.
The Princess Royal praised Strathclyde Fire & Rescue and the College for their partnership which would improve safety on the Clyde, particularly now that the river was undergoing regeneration.
Strathclyde Fire & Rescue was asked in 2005 to take over the role of water rescue on the River Clyde between the weir at Glasgow Green and the Erskine Bridge. After thorough preparation and training, the water rescue service began operating last April from three fire stations – Renfrew, Knightswood and Polmadie.
Although the three fire stations served as excellent bases, SFR was conscious of the need to operate from a site closer to Glasgow city centre. Glasgow College of Nautical Studies agreed to provide such a base.
Brian Sweeney, Chief Officer of Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, said: “I am honoured and delighted that the Princess Royal agreed to perform the official opening of the water rescue centre. The presence of Her Royal Highness not only graces this occasion, it also marks a significant step forward in Strathclyde Fire & Rescue’s evolution as an organisation in which the traditional roles of firefighting and fire prevention form part of a much wider remit to protect the communities which we serve.
“Our water rescue service was expected to respond to emergencies anywhere along a 10-mile stretch of a major river that flows through very large conurbations. That was no mean challenge, but our crews responded in outstanding fashion by acquiring a high level of expertise that has served them well in many rescues.”
Mr Sweeney thanked the College, and its principal, Janet Okten, for their support and commitment to the project to establish the water rescue centre.
The partnership between Strathclyde Fire & Rescue and the College will enter a new phase with a £4 million project to construct a state-of-the-art Seamanship Centre where SFR water rescue crews will be based 24 hours a day. This new centre will also house a purpose-built control room for the water rescue service which will be used to handle major emergencies on the river.
SFR’s River Clyde Water Rescue Service employs four rescue craft, each with a crew of three. As SFR operates four shifts each day, this means that more than 50 people have been thoroughly trained in water rescue techniques.
At the time of the opening, the Water Rescue Service had rescued nine people from the Clyde and one person from the Forth & Clyde Canal.
One particularly difficult rescue was performed last July after a man fell 15 feet from Clyde Place in Glasgow onto a ledge beside the Clyde. The man lay injured and could only be reached from the water so a rescue boat was summoned to the scene.
Firefighters and ambulance personnel rendered first aid to the injured man before he was put into a stretcher and placed on a rescue boat. The boat then took the man to a slipway where he was transferred to an ambulance.
(Press release from Strathclyde Fire & Rescue)

Official Opening by

Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal

of the River Clyde Water Rescue Centre 

27^th April 2007 

CHIEF OFFICER’S MESSAGE 

Brian P. Sweeney
Chief Officer
Strathclyde Fire & Rescue 

I am honoured and delighted that Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal has agreed to perform the official opening today of Strathclyde Fire & Rescue’s Water Rescue Centre on the River Clyde.
The presence of Her Royal Highness not only graces this occasion, it also marks a significant step forward in Strathclyde Fire & Rescue’s evolution as an organisation in which the traditional roles of firefighting and fire prevention form part of a much wider remit to protect the communities which we serve.
Strathclyde Fire & Rescue was asked in 2005 to take over the role of water rescue on the River Clyde between the weir at Glasgow Green and the Erskine Bridge. This was no mean challenge as we were expected to respond to emergencies anywhere along a 10 mile stretch of a large river that flowed through very large conurbations
We rose to the challenge however, and after thorough preparation and training, our Water Rescue Service began operating from three fire stations - Renfrew, Knightswood and Polmadie - in April of last year. Since then, our firefighters have carried out numerous rescues and acquired a high level of expertise.
Although our three fire stations provide excellent bases, we have always been conscious of the need to operate from a site closer to Glasgow city centre. I am grateful that Glasgow College of Nautical Studies agreed to provide us with such a base, here in the College’s Seamanship Centre.
The commitment and enthusiasm shown by my officers and by the College in working together to make the Water Rescue Centre a reality is a marvellous example of partnership working. I would like to thank in particular the College’s principal, Janet Okten, for her support of this project.
Today’s launch marks a return to the Clyde for the fire service. In the days when the river was still a great workshop to the world, Glasgow Fire Service operated its fireboat St Mungo. Now, as a reborn Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, we are once again playing a vital role on the Clyde at a time when the river is once again a thriving magnet for development. We look forward to playing our part in this regeneration together with all of our partners. 

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP 

Janet Okten,
Principal of Glasgow College of Nautical Studies 

It is now over 2 years since Strathclyde Fire & Rescue and Glasgow College of Nautical Studies started discussions about working collaboratively for the benefit of both organisations.
GCNS had access to the River Clyde via its Seamanship Centre on the main College campus and was looking for partners to help upgrade and improve facilities. Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, who had been given responsibility for safety on the Clyde, were looking for a suitable site from which to launch their craft.
Both parties had a clear vision and by working together realised the many benefits such a collaboration could bring to each organisation.
Collaboration has so far been in three distinct areas:
Firstly, the ‘chartroorn’ in the College Halls of residence has been converted to accommodate a Strathclyde Fire & Rescue Communications station which went operational last September and is used as required by Strathclyde Fire & Rescue to co-ordinate rescue, training and safety operations on the Clyde.
Secondly, a pontoon and access gangway were installed and the Seamanship Centre crane hoist was converted to enable Strathclyde Fire & Rescue to gain access to the river for its boats. The College is an ideal location for this as it is close to the city centre river bridges from which Strathclyde Fire & Rescue conduct most of their rescues. The facility will enable Strathclyde Fire & Rescue to store boats at the College and carry out normal operations on a 24hr/ 7 day a week basis.
The third and major part of the collaboration has been the development of a new purpose designed Seamanship Centre/Rescue Station.
So far a feasibility study has been completed and provisional plans have been drawn up by Business Design Partnership. The design being put forward will require a £4 million investment to provide a state of the art Seamanship Centre. This will have all the appropriate modern ship’s lifeboats along with teaching and workshop areas connected to a Strathclyde Fire & Rescue Rescue Station crewed 24 hours a day. There will also be provision for Strathclyde Police to operate from the centre.
This project would be undertaken as the first part of the Scottish Funding Council supported development of the Thistle Street site of the new Glasgow City Centre College Estates.
GCNS is delighted to he involved in this partnership with Strathclyde Fire & Rescue and looks forward eagerly to future developments and benefits for each party. 

ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS 

Arrival at the College of Nautical Studies 

Demonstration of Ship Simulator Room 

Arrival at Seamanship Centre 

Demonstration on the River Clyde 

Unveiling of commemorative plaque 

Broader Role for Strathclyde Fire & Rescue 

Water rescue on the River Clyde is only one of the new duties that Strathclyde Fire & Rescue has been able to take on as a result of the passing of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005.
The rapid-response service currently comprises two rescue boats. One of the rescue boats will be situated at the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, mounted on davits which can lower the boat quickly into the water by an electrical winch.
The rescue boats are speedy and sturdy craft that are popular with rescue services around the world. A special feature of each boat is a how door which can be lowered to ease the safe recovery of casualties from the water.
The River Clyde Water Rescue Service was introduced in April last year following a period of intensive training and preparation of rescue crews.
The passing of the new legislation in 2005 marked the start of an exciting new era for the former Strathclyde Fire Brigade, now Strathclyde Fire & Rescue. The new service had to place much greater emphasis on fire prevention alongside its traditional firefighting role.
New statutory duties included urban search and rescue (USAR), in which Strathclyde firefighters played such a prominent role following the Stockline Plastics factory explosion in May 2004, and mass decontamination and flood relief.
Promotion of road safety has also been given a higher priority. This week, for instance, Strathclyde Fire & Rescue launched its innovative “Cut it Out” campaign which will highlight the dangers of reckless driving to all 30,000 plus 5th and 6th year secondary school students across its area.
Today’s ceremony represents only one facet of Strathclyde Fire & Rescue’s involvement in water rescue. Last month SFR inaugurated its specialist team of firefighters trained to tackle fires and other emergencies on board ships. This team, based at Greenock Fire Station, forms part of the UK’s Maritime Incident Response Group, the world’s first nationally integrated, specialised fire and rescue service for dealing with incidents at sea.

LEARNING FOR A LIFE AT SEA 

Glasgow College of Nautical Studies was officially opened by Lord Mountbatten in 1964 to meet the demand for specialist training of seafaring personnel.
Since then the College has developed a worldwide reputation for its maritime provision and plays a significant role in the comprehensive strategy to secure the future of UK Shipping.
Every year the College welcomes over 7,000 students to study a wide range of programmes. Around 40 per cent of College activity is in the specialist subject area of maritime studies.
The vast majority of Deck & Engineering trainee officers are directly sponsored onto their GCNS course by either shipping companies or training organisations acting on behalf of ship owners.
Major shipping company sponsors include BP Shipping, The Maersk Company (now includes P&O Nedlloyd), Bibby Line Ltd, CP Ships, Anglo Eastern Ship Management, the RFA, Teekay Shipping and Shell Ship Management.
The major training organisation supplying GCNS is Clyde Marine Training.
Full time cadet programmes are also supplemented by a comprehensive list of short specialist training courses developed in response to market demands and the ever changing skills required for a career at sea.
Overseas students from over 35 different countries also attend the College throughout each academic year with major partnerships developed in India, Pakistan and Turkey.
GCNS is also extremely proud of its other niche markets in Aviation and Special Educational Needs and its commitment to the local community. 

There are numerous colour photos of the boats in action in the programe.

In an article in the Greenock Telegraph on the 8th July 2005, it was stated that a maritime Response Unit will be up and running in Greenock fire station next year after a major refurbishment of the station. The MIRG (Maritime Incident Rescue Group) will be funded by the Scottish Fire Service and managed and administered by Strathclyde Fire and Rescue. The unit will cover the North Sea and the whole of Scotland covering ship fires, sea survival and helicopter ditching amongst other things. At first 50 firefighters from Greenock and Port Glasgow will receive special training and in the event of an incident around 20 firefighters will be flown to the scene by helicopter with the necessary equipment.

At 2007 there is an SEV, Pioner boat and Zodiac boat at Knightswood with a 3 of a crew. At Renfrew there is an SEV, 2 PWCs and a Zodiac boat which are jump crewed from the Rescue Pump. There will be a Pioner boat at the nautical College crewed by Polmadie who have an SEV and Zodiac boat with a crew of 3.

December 2007 
The Personal Water Craft or Jet Skis have all been withdrawn from service, I believe this is because although they can be on the scene very quickly unless the casualty is conscious and able to get themselves aboard the PWC there is very little they can do except show the location until a boat arrives.
The resources at present are :-
Knightswood                Pioner Multi boat launched from Yoker Ferry Slip
                                    Rigid Inflatable Boat
Polmadie                      Pioner Multi boat berthed at Glasgow College of Nautical Science
                                    Zodiac boat
Motherwell                   Zodiac boat
Oban                            Zodiac boat
Ayr                              Zodiac boat
Renfrew                       Zodiac boat 

The boats are towed by the following Supplementary Equipment Vehicles:-

SF07LFB is a white Mercedes Sprinter with crew cab and sterile changing area at the rear. It was to go to Knightswood but as it is only a 4x2 the slip that Knightswood launch from was too steep for it so it has been put to Ayr. This is the prototype and Mercedes will be producing a 4x4 version early in 2008 so any future ones will be ordered on the 4x4 chassis. SF07LFB has been replaced at Ayr with a Ford Ranger 4x4 (SF03AUL) to standardise the vehicles used for water rescue.

Emergency Technologies Ltd has recently won the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services contract for craft and outboard motors for all Scottish Brigades. Following successful testing in adverse weather conditions on the River Tweed in full flood, with an estimated current flow of 18 – 20 knots, the Eurocraft 3.8m fully inflatable rescue boat fitted with a Marnier 30hp engine, purpose built for the test, proved to be up to the job and successfully completed all the evaluations with flying colours.
The 3.8m rescue boat has a single point inflation system, allowing the craft to be inflated with one BA cylinder in less than 60 seconds. It also all packs away in a carrying valise which can be easily stowed following use.
(Fire Times Volume 10 Number 2, February/March 2008.)

2/8/2010
Polmadie and Knightswood's Pioneer Boats have been moved from the Tall Ship to the Pontoon next to the new footbridge across the Clyde on the Broomielaw at the foot of York Street.

Renfrew's Water Rescue Level 2 unit moved to Clydesmill on 31/3/2010.

Under a review of Water Rescue Resources Fifteen Level 1 Advanced Units will be created, the Level 2 units will be increased from four to seven and there will still be two Level 3 units.

Level 1 is carried on all Rescue Pumps and consists of 6 life jackets, 2 off 25 metre throw lines and an inflatable hose (a length of hose which is fitted with a blank cap at one end and an adapter at the other to which a BA cylinder is attached to inflate the hose which is then pushed out to the casualty. The casualty then grabs hold of the floating hose and is pulled ashore.) Level 1 responses are not allowed to enter the water and carry out the rescue from dry land, thus maintaining crew safety.

Level 1 Advanced equipment is in a red box which is put on the appliance in place of the hose in one locker. Inside the box there are 6 Flood Suits, 6 Wading Poles, 6 pairs of Shore Gloves, 6 Helmets with head Torches and a number of Flood Sacks. The Flood Suits are Red and consist of Waders with integral socks and a Jacket. Each Group member at the station has a personal pair of Rubber boots which are worn with the Flood Suit. The Wading poles fold down so they can fit in the box and have depth markings on them.
If there is a period of rain, a committee will meet and study the weather forecasts and if there is a possibility of flooding then the stations covering where the flooding might happen will be told to take the hose out of one of the lockers and replace it with the red box until the flood danger has passed.

Level 2 equipment consists of a Personal Warm Suit, shared Dry Suits, Personal Floatation Devices and helmets fitted with torches. A 4x4 vehicle tows a Rigid Inflatable Boat on a trailer. They also do Swift Water Rescues.

Level 3 is the same as Level 2 but with the addition of a tidal boat and they can also work in the dark.

Level 1 Advanced
L01    Helensburgh
L02    Oban
M05   Dumbarton
N03   Coatbridge
P04    Lanark
Q02   Clarkston
R03    Ardrossan
S02    Paisley
S04    Port Glasgow
S05    Greenock
T02    Maryhill
T04    Yorkhill
V01    Govan
V02    Pollok
V05    Calton

Level 2
R01    Ayr
P05    Clydesmill
N01    Motherwell
V05    Polmadie (2 SEVs)

Level 3
T03    Knightswood
V04    Polmadie (2 SEVs)

March 2012, the Brigade has taken delivery of 2 Coastworker 10 boats which will be based on the River Clyde.

August 2012 the brigade put three Mercedes Sprinters on the run as Water Rescue Units. They have an awning which pulls out on the nearside and can have sides and a front fitted to it. The front compartment has three seats and a fold down table along with a hot water dispenser for making hot drinks on the right just inside the door. The rear compartment is for storing the equipment carried which includes Rescue Path, Air Lance (mud rescue), flares, torches, Personal Flotation Devices, personal kit bags (Dry suits, helmets etc.) and BA cylinder.

23rd January 2013 the water rescue boats have moved to new berths at Kelvin Harbour (beside the Riverside Museum) and at The City of Glasgow College from the pontoon at the foot of York Street beside the Casino. Each berth has a Coastworker Boat and a Pioner Boat. Kelvin Harbour has has Fire 2 and Fire 7 while the City of Glasgow College has Fire 1 and Fire8. The move follows the refurbishment of the City of Glasgow College and the introduction of the Riverside Museum where Kelvin Harbour is situated.

This is Coastworker boat St Mungo 2 on its trailer at Kirkintillock Fire Station, it will be moored on the Clyde.            102_0059          12/5/2012

Photos of Jet Skis, rescue boats and vehicles.

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