MEP Ashley Fox visits threatened coastguard helicopter base on Portland (From Dorset Echo)
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MEP Ashley Fox visits threatened coastguard helicopter base on Portland
10:27am Monday 18th March 2013 in News
Coun Tim Munro, Francis Devaney of CHC Helicopter Services, Coun Ian Munro-Price, Coun Ian Bruce and MEP Ashley Fox
DORSET councillors highlighted the fight to save the Portland Coastguard Helicopter when a politician visited the threatened base.
Ashley Fox, MEP for the south west, paid a visit to the airbase with Dorset County Councillor Tim Munro and Weymouth and Portland Borough Councillors Ian Munro-Price and Ian Bruce.
Mr Fox said: "There is always a need to modernise the search and rescue service, but I do not believe that an upgrade in equipment should lead to a downgrade in the number of bases.
"Portland Search and Rescue has saved hundreds of lives and should be retained to protect our coasts into the future."
The facility on Portland is one of two in the country threatened with closure as the search and rescue service is re-structured. The other is RAF Boulmer in Northumberland.
Coun Munro said: "Dorset County Council is 100 per cent behind the campaign to retain this very important search and rescue facility at Portland.
"It is my belief that without this rapid response sailors and seafarers will be put in greater jeopardy."
Coun Bruce added: "I am even more convinced that we should not be halving the helicopter coverage in this, the busiest sector of the UK's coastline.
"It appears ministers are being told that putting modern helicopters in the stations somehow justifies taking our helicopter away."
Coun Price, who is the borough council's spokesperson for economic development, raised concerns over job losses.
He said: "In addition to the obvious safety concerns of removing the helicopter, such a move would take millions of pounds and many jobs out of our economy, as well as harming the growth and safety of our successful sailing and diving activities."
Comments(5)
saildorset
says...
8:23pm Mon 18 Mar 13
I have tried to get figures relating to cases carried out in the last year or so and have drawn a blank.
Recently the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance gave details of their 'patient activities' in the Dorset Echo and it would seem to be a hard pressed flight. Bearing in mind it is not supported by Government but, funded by charity.
Conducting winching exercises onto passing merchant ships and clifftops should not count as actual tasks, is this a part of the statistics we read about?
Before the Minister makes the final decision, perhaps, we may all be presented with true facts, not random unsubtantiated remarks made by a few Councillors and indeed MP's.
Whilst the rest of the country and indeed all Emergency Services, which serve the Public as a whole nationally are being cutback, this service, very limited in it's coverage is seen to be worthy of maintaining without any sort of disruption.
We are told that the aircraft is very fast, then surely it can get from Lee without too much of a delay as it does at night when Portland closes down.
Just a thought.
Rodwellocal
says...
8:29pm Mon 18 Mar 13
JoeyJo
says...
1:00pm Tue 19 Mar 13
weymouthfox
says...
6:12pm Tue 19 Mar 13
Hateignorance says...
10:56am Mon 18 Mar 13