The inquiry set up after the collision in 1989 between the Marchioness and the dredger Bowbelle, that resulted in the loss of 51 lives, recommended a dedicated search and rescue presence on the Thames. As a part of this, the government approached the RNLI, who agreed to provide a rescue service that covered the tidal Thames between Teddington and the sea. Locations were approved for stations at Teddington, Chiswick, Tower and Gravesend.[1][2] These all became operational at the beginning of 2002.[3]
Demand for the services of the Thames lifeboats proved to be much higher than originally anticipated. In 2002, their first year of operation, London lifeboats were called out over 800 times, accounting for 10% of the total number of call-outs, or "shouts", that the RNLI responded to nationwide. Within two months of opening, Chiswick became, and it has continued to be, the UK's second busiest lifeboat station after Tower in Central London.[4] Between 2002 and mid-2018, Chiswick was called to 3,387 incidents and rescued more than 1,620 people.[5]
In 2012, three new E-class lifeboat Mark II lifeboats, E-07, E-08 and E-09, joined the Thames fleet at Chiswick and Tower, and served at both stations. E-003 Chelsea Pensioner was retired in 2015, followed by E-006 Joan and Kenneth Bellamy in 2018.
With the arrival of a new bigger E-class lifeboat Mark III lifeboat arriving at Tower in 2019, Chiswick became the Principal Station for E-08 Dougie and Donna B, and E-09 Brawn Challenge[6]
Crew
The Chiswick station is staffed continuously to provide an immediate response and is coordinated by the Coastguard. The crew is drawn from both full-time staff and a pool of about 50 volunteers.[5]
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
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