Those of us who visit the beaches around the coast of the UK, can do so safe in the knowledge that there is RNLI Lifeguard on hand to rescue people in an emergency. On this RNLI information page, is a wonderful story about an heroic rescue off Trebarwith Strand (a beach I know very well, as it happens).
The RNLI is an amazing organisation which is supported by millions of people and they do an incredible job saving lives at sea with a mixture of paid and unpaid volunteers.
Buckingham (like many parts of the UK) is not by the sea...but...
But I have just had a very useful conversation with an emergency planner about flood prevention, community resilience and emergency planning. In it, wistfully, he made the suggestion that wouldn't it be wonderful if we could bottle some of that heroic coolness that RNLI Lifeguards have and spray it on volunteers working hard to keep people safe in towns subject to flooding (or other emergencies).
(That is my evocative language by the way: but the essential idea was his.)
All local councils (from first tier ones like mine, to district, unitary and county councils) need volunteers to work with us: we need their eyes, ears, hands, minds etc to work in partnership with us to co-create healthier, wealthier, happier and safer towns and villages.
So do we need Inland Lifeguards?
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