l GOVERNMENT proposals to change the coastguard service are causing a storm of controversy.

It wants to centralise the service’s call centres, which would see the often unsung heroes in local control rooms lose their roles in the heart of the communities they serve.

Walton’s control room would be one of those to close.

DAVE LAMBERT talked to one of them about their vital role.

THE Thames Coastguard station in Walton received 1,073 call-outs in 2010, making it third busiest in the country, and keeping operators on their toes.

Karen Paradise, watch manager at the station and the branch secretary for the Public and Commercial Services Union, said the staff do a vital job.

She said: “Each job is so different. Our main job is to co-ordinate other services.

“For example, a boat might have had complete power failure. The people on board would have to contact us via a handheld radio because their electrics are down, which means they also won’t know where they are.

“We will question them thoroughly. While this is going on, other members will be checking maps for areas they could be in.

“Once we have identified an area, they will task the nearest lifeboat and maybe appeal to nearby vessels for assistance. We then co-ordinate with each party, arrange for medical treatment if needed, and liaise with the hospital if necessary.

“For us, it doesn’t end at taking the call, we see it through to its conclusion. Afterwards, we will review the situation and see if there is anything we could do to improve our handling of it.”

One of the main points of contention with the proposed cuts is loss of local knowledge, which helps coastguards perform rescues when they are against the clock.

Karen said: “Sometimes people don’t know where they are when they call us. Through local knowledge, we can work out where they are from a vague description.

“Before we start the job properly, we do nine months to a year of training. We spend a lot of time walking our patch, go out on the lifeboats and visit the other emergency services.

“We take a test on all the information once a year. We know all the best local people to talk to in a crisis, and the tidal patterns. By doing this, we can see things in our minds and act very quickly.”

The coastguards also help with detailed missing person searches.

Despite the high pressure of the job at times, Karen said it was something she enjoyed.

She added: “These emergency situations need co-ordinating properly. By doing that, we save lives. If we don’t get it right from the start, something minor could turn into a tragedy.

“It is usually very enjoyable. It is very rewarding to help people and executing a successful rescue is the icing on the cake.”