05/12/2009
Community News Update Winter 2009
During the recent flooding the streets of
Skibbereen became the unlikely location for Baltimore Lifeboat
crew to put their skills to good use. Eight crew-members supported
flood rescue efforts in the town on the evening of Thursday
19th November after heavy rainfall and a rising tide flooded
homes and businesses. The eight crewmen who made their way
to Skibbereen that evening. were Cathal Cottrell, Aidan Bushe,
Youen Jacob, Ronan Calnan, Ronan Sheehy, John McDonagh, John
O’Flynn and John Rochford. They were well equipped for
the task wearing RNLI dry suits and lifejackets and using
borrowed dinghies. They assisted by ferrying stranded home
and business owners to safety. With a vast experience of water
borne rescue were able to provide valuable support to the
emergency services.
More recently the Tyne class Hilda Jarrett
was called into action to assist the Island Community of Cape
Clear. On Wednesday 25th November, with the ferry confined
to the inner harbour by bad weather a medical emergency necessitated
the evacuation to hospital of a casualty. The Lifeboat is
always there to support the islands as a last resort when
the usual services are unavailable.
Long awaited developments at Baltimore Lifeboat’s Bull
Point Boathouse are finally taking shape.
The RNLI recently released a final development
plan which involves the building of a berth to the East of
the boathouse allowing the new Tamar class lifeboat to lie
afloat. A backfilled quayside area will give access to a pontoon
for boarding. A stone breakwater farther to the East will
provide shelter. A basin will be dredged out to create deep
water so that the larger Tamar can operate safely at all stages
of the tide. A second phase of development will see a complete
renovation of the existing boathouse improving facilities
for the crew and adapting the slipway for use by an inshore
lifeboat which will ultimately replace ‘Bessie’
our Atlantic 75. The development is a significant investment
by the RNLI in Baltimore and emphasises its importance as
a lifeboat station. Progress not-withstanding it will be a
sad day when the Hilda Jarrett launches down the slipway for
the last time and the era of slip-launched all-weather lifeboats
comes to an end in Baltimore.
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