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Author Topic: Flare Ban  (Read 4837 times)

malcolmfrary

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Flare Ban
« on: November 05, 2008, 06:16:09 pm »

Just heard a rumour which I took to be too stupid to be true, so I googled for "coastguard flare ban".  The interweb is full of it.  Have a look at
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/11/04/coastguard-risks-lives-in-flare-ban-115875-20867883/
for a sample.
It seems that flares are "outmoded" and "possibly unsafe".  The fact that they have proven reliability and don't suffer from flat batteries doesn't seem to matter.
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barryfoote

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2008, 06:32:00 pm »

So here we go again. The people on the ground, so to speak, and who really know are overuled by Beaurocrats who know nothing. It seems now that people have to die because someone is scared that flares may be mis used and hurt someone.......I give up.........Oh no.....I gave up years ago and left the "damned" country.. <*< <*< <*< <*< <*< <*< <*<
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2008, 06:33:07 pm »

I think flares are outmoded. I haven't worn them since 1972....
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Bunkerbarge

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2008, 06:45:59 pm »

We seem to take action on so many things based on "what ifs" and there seems to be no shortage of idiots coming up with them. 

I'd like to know how many people have actually been hurt in an accident with a flare over the last couple of years and so what they base thier concerns on.

Come on Colin you never wore flares, it was crepe soles and drain pipes when you were a youngster!!
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John W E

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #4 on: November 05, 2008, 06:58:27 pm »

''Angry coastguards fear lives will be lost after bosses banned them from using flares to find survivors at night''.

If memory serves me correctly, the flares referred to in the news snippet are a 'tubed launched' affair or a vary pistol affair launch.   These are issued (as far as I am aware) only to Rescue Services - as they are a white illumination flare to which they are referring to.   The personnel who man the rescue services are specially trained on the launching of these flares - so I cannot see them fooling around with them.

The ones 'Joe Public' can lay his hands on - to aid safety - are Distress Flares.   Not to be confused with the flares to find survivors.

The last time I saw Colin I am sure he was wearing Hornpipe flairs  :-))

aye
john e
bluebird
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Reade Models

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #5 on: November 05, 2008, 06:59:07 pm »

Come on Colin you never wore flares, it was crepe soles and drain pipes when you were a youngster!!

The mind boggles.... {-) {-) {-)


Malc

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Colin Bishop

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2008, 07:02:12 pm »

Boggle all you like - I don't care!

Still got all my hair too...
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FullLeatherJacket

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #7 on: November 05, 2008, 07:16:31 pm »

I still wear flared trousers........except they're flared at the top these days.  <:(

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nhp651

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2008, 07:24:58 pm »


I thought it was dubloons and hose that colin wore??? :} ;D :} ;D
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Reade Models

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2008, 08:24:12 pm »


I thought it was dubloons and hose that colin wore??? :} ;D :} ;D

Weren't doubloons currency - a 2 Escudo gold coin?  I'm sure that Colin would have worn 'doublet' and hose - (once he'd grown out of the animal skins that is).  {-) {-)

In fact here he is!


Malc


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Colin Bishop

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2008, 09:36:10 pm »

I wish!  %)
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BobF

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2008, 10:24:28 pm »

I don't think this has been mentioned yet, but a few years ago, the RNLI stopped using maroons to call out the life boat crews for the same reason. It's pagers now, or maybe they are out of date too.
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omra85

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2008, 10:25:13 pm »

You've got a perverted smiley there Colin - he keeps looking up that blokes doublet  :o
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nhp651

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #13 on: November 05, 2008, 10:34:01 pm »

eye! that's the one Malc :-))
My doesn't he look good?? ;D :kiss:
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barriew

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #14 on: November 06, 2008, 10:06:28 am »

It's pagers now, or maybe they are out of date too.

They are - BT was wanting to close down its pager service and the RNLI objected. Don't know what the outcome was. Can't see flares being switched off by BT ok2

Barrie
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Didge

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #15 on: November 09, 2008, 12:26:01 am »


Still got all my hair too...

Barsteward!!!! >:-o
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Bryan Young

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #16 on: November 09, 2008, 08:14:49 pm »

The "Verey" flare pistol is standard equipment on the bridge of every RN and RFA ship. It is also standard equipment in the cockpit of RN helicopters. The "bullet" thingy is about 1" in diameter and around 3" long. They come in 3 fetching colours....White, Green and Red.
They also come neatly packaged in nice little tins that hold 5 (I think) of the little sods. When at sea the pistol and a tin of each colour flare is just kept in an accessible box, ready to hand if need arises. In most cases it is used when either the ship or the aircraft has a radio failure or some other emergency. A back-up of last resort. And vital...even though not used very often. Sometimes they are used to give "close-in" ship-borne weapons a sort of target (although hand fired flares are more commonly used). It would be an act of really stupid beurocracy to ban this bit of kit. It is there to save lives, not terminate them. Cheers. BY.
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wombat

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #17 on: November 11, 2008, 10:04:55 am »

There does seem to be a point being missed here (well several in fact)

The main one is that in the reports, the ban refers specifically to illumination and not signal flares. This does rather put a different perspective on things.

The other interesting thing on the interweb is that the reports all track back either to the Mirror, the Daily Mail or the Telegraph - all of which are packed full of the drooling slack-jawed whining mouth-breathers that moan constantly about political correctness gone mad.

The Coastguard are trying to move to alternative technologies - such as floodlights and night vision goggles - things that give more than two minutes illumination. Still why spoil a good story with facts. Guess which newspapers will be whining loudest about lack of government activity when someone dies because the coastguard have only been equipped with "outdated flares"

As an aside - can anyone point me to the the official MCGA press release on the subject?
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #18 on: November 11, 2008, 12:10:31 pm »

This link pre-dates the mail/mirror/telegraph reports by several days
http://www.burnham-on-sea.com/news/2008/flares-banned-coastguards-26-10-08.php
and appears to be a local website.
This is probably not something that an agency would publish unless pressed to do so.
High tech aids are almost certainly better than flares in many respects, but flares do have the big advantage of not suffering from flat batteries.  The implication was that those who actually do the job, who have gathered a lot of expertise in developing solid working techniques for finding and saving people in danger in difficult circumstances, are being told to adopt what to them is a second rate way of working by someone in an ivory tower. 
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Reade Models

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #19 on: November 11, 2008, 12:41:14 pm »

I think the folks who risk their own lives to save others should always have the freedom to choose the equipment that suits their purpose.

If I was lifeboat crew, or a coastguard, I would be thoroughly brassed off if some jobsworth tried to tell me what equipment I should be using when I had put myself in harm's way to save those in distress.

Malc

(Who finds the Daily Mail to be way too far to the left).


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wombat

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #20 on: November 11, 2008, 02:23:42 pm »

Response deleted -

I will follow the advice of a famous author - never read rubbish you will start to write it.
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Reade Models

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Re: Flare Ban
« Reply #21 on: November 11, 2008, 05:39:29 pm »

 {-) {-) {-) {-) {-) {-) {-) {-) {-) {-) {-)
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