[Dr Stevil]

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I found out by accident on Tuesday that RAF Boulmer in Northumberland is threatened with closure by the MOD. Obviously this would have significant implications for North East divers who were unfortunate enough to suffer DCI.

I contacted the Newcastle Journal in regard to their ongoing campaign to stop the closure, now they want to run a story (me and my big mouth!) and the reporter will be here in a few hours, what he'd like is the name and contact number of someone who has actually been rescued by the Boulmer choppers, preferably along the lines of "I wouldn't be here without these guys..."
So if any of you on-line today fit the bill, please get in touch ASAP
Cheers
Steve

 

[parahandy]

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Fortunately I havn't been one of RAF Boulmers customers,nevertheless likewise as a diver whose visits take him to that coast within the Boulmer range i'm concerned about the potential closure.  
As divers if we don't express our objections to any proposal to withdraw to SAR unit I suspect it will become a reality.

I wasn't aware of the situation re the coastguard what seems to be down sizing.
A letter(s) to the local MP regarding Boulmer perhaps in order  

 

[Dr Stevil]

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Apparently the issue is being decided upon within the next two weeks so not time enough for letters to good-for-nothing MP's, but I'm sure the newspaper campaign won't have gone unnoticed in political circles. I'm still very very surprised that not one other NE diver who might have known about it before me (and there's one in my department) thought to spread the word through the diving forums!

 

[Trevor W]

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Congratulations Steve,
  Excellent article in the Journal this morning. I thought you put the argument across very well.
                   
                      Trevor W