Lifesavers’ shiny new boat station rushed into service
IT may be brand new and very shiny – but the new lifeboat station at Burry Port has been brought into active service very quickly.
The RNLI station has quickly become a new architectural icon – to rival the town harbour’s famous lighthouse.
And the hard-working volunteers of the lifeboat crew didn’t have to wait long before giving the new station a “christening”.
In the business of saving lives, RNLI crews call emergency calls “shouts”.
And the Burry Port crew have had not one, but two “shouts” since moving into their new HQ.
A spokesman for the crew said: “We had our first call from the new lifeboat station when Milford Haven UK Coastguard requested assistance to a fishing vessel that had broken down with battery failure, a couple of miles west of Rhossili beach, Gower.
“Both boats were launched to search, but the casualty vessel was quickly located and towed back to Burry Port Harbour, and moored outside until the tide had risen.
“A battery starter kit was taken out by our D class crew, and the vessel’s engine was restarted. So, the boat entered the harbour under its own power.
“This was our 21st call for 2019.”
The second “shout” came after eye-witnesses had reported seeing a person in difficulty in the water in the Red Pool area of Pembrey Harbour.
The RNLI’s spokesman said: “With the tide changing quickly, and the casualty reported to be struggling in the water, time was of the essence.
“The volunteer crew moved speedily to launch the station’s D-class lifeboat Diane Hilary and pluck the casualty from the water.
“Casualty care trained crew gave first aid assistance as the casualty advised that they had taken on a lot of water in their struggles to stay afloat. Burry Port Coastguard and the Welsh Ambulance Service assisted the casualty in the safety and privacy of the new lifeboat station to ensure that the casualty was safe before they returned home.”
The Burry Port crew have two boats, and both have been housed in the new HQ.
Modifications are currently being carried out to the slipway near the HQ and the crew have alternative launch procedures in place until that work is completed.
The RNLI spokesman added: “We have fantastic facilities for our team of special volunteers and to ensure an RNLI presence in the Burry Port community for the rest of this century.”