Area South Area South has two rescue coordination centres, MRCC Solent (located in Lee on Solent) and MRCC Portland (based in Weymouth). The area extends from the Beachy Head, Belle Tout to the Motor Way Bridge at Topsham, Exmouth. Each area has an Area Operations Manager who is reponsible for the Rescue Centres and the Sectors. Each Rescue Centre is managed by a Rescue Coordination Centre Manager and supported by four Watch Managers. Each Watch Manager has a staff of five to six persons comprising watch officers and Coastguard Watch Assistants. Each shift is of 12 hours duration which enables 24 hour coverage, seven days a week and 365 days per year. Sector Managers operate from a specific geographical location are responsible primarily for managing the physical response to incidents on the Coast. This involves the training of the volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officer teams in the use of 4-wheel drive vehicles, searching for missing persons, mud and cliff rescue where appropriate. The Rescue Centres liaise and work closely with the other emergency services such as:
This close working is particularly important during major incidents but also encompasses involvement with local and major exercises and prevention initiatives. These authorities will often send representatives to the Rescue Centre in order to liaise direct, keep their own organisations up to date with current information and assist Rescue Centre staff with expert advice.
MRCC Solent’s area of responsibility extends from Belle Tout Lighthouse to just west of Beachy Head, East Sussex, to the Hampshire/Dorset border at Chewton Bunney. The area is flanked to the East by DOVER and the west by PORTLAND. The main work for this area is generated by the leisure industry, although there are two large Sea ports within the district at Southampton and Portsmouth which operate large Ferries, Cruise Liners, Container Vessels and Large Tankers to the Oil terminals in Southampton Water. Sports Diving is very prevalent in the area as well as Yachting, Wind Surfing, Kite Sailing/Surfing, Fishing/Angling and Walking along the cliffs and coastline.
SECTOR ORGANISATION Solent is divided into four sectors:
The list shows the 13 teams in Solent's area of operation including the Sector manager and the Coast Rescue Teams (including their specialist training). The Sector Manager is responsible for these teams, which range from between four and fourteen personnel. South Downs Sector Manager Portsmouth Sector Manager Wight Sector Manager Southampton Sector Manager INCIDENT INFORMATION Solent's area, despite being one of the smallest, geographically, is also, consistently the busiest, in terms of incidents handled. This covers many small craft users including Motor Cruisers, Yachts/Dinghies, windsurfers and beach/coastline users including swimmers and walkers. The harbours of Chichester, Langstone and Portsmouth as well as the busy Southampton Water and varied difficult areas of the Isle of Wight including Cliffs provide many challenges. Also to the east of the District the popular beaches at Worthing and Brighton and the looming cliffs of Seven Sisters and the infamous Beachy Head pose many problems for the coastguard teams. Many of these incidents are caused by members of the public who are not correctly prepared for the Maritime environment at sea and on the coastline. Emergency plans are in place for all Major Marine users in the area, especially the Ferry companies who carry out regular exercises with the Operations Room. Liaison with Portsmouth and Southampton Port Authorities ensures good co-operation for assistance within their areas of responsibility.
MRCC Portland's area of responsibility runs from Chewton Bunny on the Dorset/Hampshire border to Topsham at Exmouth by land and out to the mid channel markers. The coastline is mainly cliffs and sandy beaches. Poole Harbour is the worlds’ second largest natural harbour and the site of hundreds of incidents a year due to the thousands of pleasure craft. SECTOR ORGANISATION Portland's area of responsibility is subdivided into three sectors:
Below shows the 12 teams in the Portland area including the Sector Managers and the Coast Rescue teams. The Sector Manager is responsible for these teams, which range from between four and eleven personnel Lyme Bay Sector Manager Weymouth Sector Manager East Dorset Sector Manager INCIDENT INFORMATION Last year the MRCC Portland dealt with just under 1000 incidents, ranging from pleasure related which included yachts, motor cruisers, windsurfers, jetskiiers, divers, climbers and fallen walkers. Incidents also involved merchant vessels which included vessels having problems with engine and steering that may cause threat or pollution to UK coastline. Recent Incidents Handled: Man Overboard from M/V White Sun Not found Crew member from the Container ship White Sun lost overboard mid Channel. Despite extensive search in atrocious weather conditions, crewman was not found. Two Sailors rescued from YT SI in Mid Channel Two Belgian crewmen airlifted from their Yacht after it became dismasted in heavy weather in Mid Channel. Airlifted by Coastguard Helicopter and Yacht left to drift. Yacht was recovered days later and towed into Cherbourg.
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