Teddington Lifeboat Station History
The lifeboat stations are at Tower Pier, Chiswick Pier, Gravesend and Teddington. The first three will be manned continuously to provide an immediate response. Teddington, will be operated using volunteers in the same way as the RNLI operates its 223 lifeboat stations around the coasts of the UK and Republic of Ireland.
The RNLI was approached by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to provide the rescue service as a result of the findings of the Thames Safety Inquiries into the collision between the pleasure cruiser, The Marchioness, and the dredger, Bowbelle, which resulted in the loss of 51 lives in 1989, leading to a demand to step up search and rescue cover on the river. The MCA will co-ordinate the rescue operation from a Port of London Authority operations room at the Thames Barrier.
The RNLI and the MCA have started a London Underground poster campaign to get Londoners used to having a dedicated rescue service on the river aimed at getting them to Call 999 and ask for the London Coastguard. This is a new concept for Londoners and we have to get them used to raising the alarm in this way says Michael Vlasto. We are confident that the co-ordinated approach between ourselves, the MCA and other agencies will help safeguard lives on the Thames.
11 December 2001