When it's 3.00am in the morning, blowing a gale and the crew are WM paged for a shout, they must launch. From the moment they go to F sea, everything possible has been'done to give them the best ecjuiprnent, the best training and the best boat available. They must have the confidence that the equipment won't let them down, *•• Operating a lifeboat is a team effort, although once the'boat is at sea all decisions about the rescue operation are taken'by the coxswain or helmsman. To assist them and the lifeboat crew in their task, the lifeboats are fitted with lots of different equipment, each with an important job to do. This is why lifeboat crew training is vital, as the equipment is only as good as the person who uses it! ITEMS INCLUDE radar (helps with navigation and collision avoidance) echo-sounder (measures the depth of the sea) VHP radio-telephone (allows th lifeboat crew to talk to the Coastguard and people to be rescued) VHP direction finder (a radio receiver which helps locate the casualty).

Satellite navigation equipment (receives signals from satellites in space and calculates the lifeboat's position).

Intercom to enable the crew to communicate above the noise of the wind and sea.

The newest lifeboats are also being fitted with electronic chart plotter, autopilot (automatically steers a lifeboat on a set course), anemometer (instrument for recording wind speed), and closed circuit television in the engine-room and on the aft-deck, which lets the coxswain see what is happening below and behind him.

Each all-weather lifeboat is also well supplied with ropes, grappling hooks, search lights and flares and a full range of first aid equipment including aluminium foil 'survival blankets' to wrap around people suffering from hypothermia.

On .inshore lifeboats, radios, first aid kits, compasses, anchors, knives, throwing lines, grab handles, fire extinguishers, sea anchors, spare propellers and tool kits are all fitted at the RNLI's Inshore Lifeboat Centre in Cowes, Isle of Wight. The equipment needs to be stowed in neat compartments, each one purpose-made.

The crew wear protective suits and inflatable lifejackets at all times and, in rough weather, can attach themselves to the lifeboat by safety lines attached to a webbing harness.

Every piece of equipment on a lifeboat must be sturdy reliable and as simple to operate as possible.

Many traditional items are still carried such as axes, boathooks, compasses and drogues. Other items, which may seem unnecessary with modern electronic equipment available, can be vital should that equipment fail. They can also do jobs which electronics cannot.

These include binoculars, lamps and flares. As a member of the Lizard lifeboat station said, "Even though modern day lifeboats have endless navigational equipment, if all these get knocked out by a big wave we still have the coxswain and crew, who know the areaand can bring the boat and . casualty back safely".

Within the RNLI's -- headquarters, mere is a research and development department which deals with a large number of projects involving the development of new equipment and trialing new lifeboats. This can even include things like a user-friendly, environmentally safe 'slipway grease' for use on slipway-launched lifeboats! There is also continual development and improvement, where possible, of existing equipment and several projects are currently underway These include trials and testing • Gloves • Goggles • Searchlights • Ufejackets • Chart table light A set of guidelines is also produced for the use of any new equipment or lifeboat once it has passed all the trialing stages and has been accepted by the RNLI.

A stores depot at Poole headquarters carries most of the spare parts a lifeboat may need and has drivers on constant call, 24 hours a day to ensure that essential equipment can be rushed to the coast whenever they are needed.

With any emergency in the coastal waters of the UK or Republic of Ireland, the RNLI makes sure the crews are fully equipped, trained, ready for the task ahead and ready for anything..