CUTS TO SEARCH AND RESCUE SERVICE FEARED
August 20, 2009 12:00 AM
In North Devon Journal
In North Devon Journal
Yet again it seems North Devon will have to mount a campaign to defend the Search And Rescue helicopter service operating out of Chivenor. Veterans of previous campaigns will no doubt be ready once again to dust off the placards.
We know that the Government intends to put the service out to commercial contractors from 2012. They hope that a new generation of helicopters will transform the capability of the service, and of course save some money.
My initial fear was that the new set up would only operate out of 8 bases as opposed to the present 12, and dark rumblings suggested that Chivenor might be one of the ones to close.
But last summer the invitations to tender for the new contracts stipulated that all 12 stations would remain open.
My next concern was that valuable flying experience would be lost to future generations of RAF and Navy personnel if the service was to be provided by commercial pilots and crew. I have pressed this point repeatedly with ministers and officials. Winching stranded adventurers off our cliffs and out of our seas is superb training for the challenges in combat zones.
And my third concern was that the armed forces would lose one of their major public relations assets by ceding these services to private companies.
I made considerable headway on all these points. In talks with bidding companies I also stressed the desirability of the future helicopters flying in military colours with military crew, even if all back-up was civilian.
The minister has now conceded the principle of the helicopters bearing military insignia.
But it is a nasty shock that at this early stage - there are still two bidders and exact terms of the contract are still under negotiation - the cover at three of the stations will be cut to 12-hours a day instead of 24.
Private operators may want to chip away further in three years between now and the new service starting.
Two of the part-time stations will be adjacent: Chivenor and Portland in Dorset, so the remaining burden on Culdrose - at the far end of Cornwall - will be enormous. One has to question whether safety might be endangered across our region?
The Minister told me last week: "Historical data shows that the level of incidents falls markedly from daytime peaks…. these modern helicopters will enable faster transit times to incidents enabling valuable reductions in response times." But people within the service have expressed doubts about this.
The public will demand hard facts. We are not going to roll over and accept such a drastic cut to an invaluable public service.
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