Wide area siren trial

Over the last 6 weeks we have been trialling a Wide Area Siren for RNLI HQ. The trial is now over and the sirens will be taken down in the next few days. The siren was being tested as a way of alerting volunteer crew, the public and nearby boating traffic to the imminent launch of a lifeboat.

There were a few questions that the trial was hoping to answer:

1. Does the sound travel into the town?
2. Is the sound too noisy in the local area?
3. Do people know what the noise is?
4. Is between 7am to 10pm the right time to activate it or could it go off 24hrs a day?
5. If the overall feedback is positive should it be fitted permanently?

If you haven't heard the siren then here's a short video:

If you've got any feedback then please either send it to Robert Aggas, the RNLI's Fleet Operations Manager on  robert_aggas@rnli.org.uk  or to us here at the Lifeboat Station.

Painting raffle winner

We were delighted to welcome Mr & Mrs Coakes to the Lifeboat Station today. Mrs Coakes had purchased a single raffle ticket earlier in the summer for the chance to win a wonderful original painting by local artist, Rebecca Lardner.

Rebecca gives Mr & Mrs Coakes the first look at their prize

The painting is handed over to the delighted winners.

Robin Tiller, Chairman of Swanage Lifeboat Management Group is presented with a cheque for £5000.

We'd like to thank Rebecca, everyone at The Mulberry Tree Gallery, everyone who helped to sell the tickets and everyone who bought them. Limited edition prints of the painting are available at the gallery but they're going fast!