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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Search and rescue 'strike' threat | Search and rescue 'strike' threat |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A part-time rescue team, covering 30 miles of Pembrokeshire coast, will not respond to many emergencies from next week in a row over insurance. | A part-time rescue team, covering 30 miles of Pembrokeshire coast, will not respond to many emergencies from next week in a row over insurance. |
| The Fishguard team, who are only paid when called out, are in dispute with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency over a colleague's injury compensation. | The Fishguard team, who are only paid when called out, are in dispute with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency over a colleague's injury compensation. |
| Brian MacFarlane lost his full-time job after damaging his knee in a rescue. | Brian MacFarlane lost his full-time job after damaging his knee in a rescue. |
| The team is unhappy about injury cover, but the MCA said each case was fully assessed on an individual basis. | The team is unhappy about injury cover, but the MCA said each case was fully assessed on an individual basis. |
| The 12-strong Fishguard team, which covers an area from Porthgain to the beach at Newport, support full-time coastguards and volunteer life-boat crews in emergencies such as locating and rescuing missing people. | The 12-strong Fishguard team, which covers an area from Porthgain to the beach at Newport, support full-time coastguards and volunteer life-boat crews in emergencies such as locating and rescuing missing people. |
| It is one of about 400 around the UK and although members have a variety of full-time day jobs they are on-call around-the-clock, every day of the year. | It is one of about 400 around the UK and although members have a variety of full-time day jobs they are on-call around-the-clock, every day of the year. |
| Four years ago Brian MacFarlane of the Fishguard team was injured while rescuing an animal from a cliff face. | Four years ago Brian MacFarlane of the Fishguard team was injured while rescuing an animal from a cliff face. |
| We will not carry out duties involving risk of personal injury until we are satisfied that our families will not suffer unnecessarily in the event of an injury Anthony Rogers | We will not carry out duties involving risk of personal injury until we are satisfied that our families will not suffer unnecessarily in the event of an injury Anthony Rogers |
| The 38-year-old father subsequently lost his main job as a residential social worker, working with young people, and was now classed "25% permanently disabled". | The 38-year-old father subsequently lost his main job as a residential social worker, working with young people, and was now classed "25% permanently disabled". |
| He was recently told he did not qualify for permanent injury benefit but would get temporary payments. | He was recently told he did not qualify for permanent injury benefit but would get temporary payments. |
| "Financial strain is probably one of the biggest strains that any family can face," he said. | "Financial strain is probably one of the biggest strains that any family can face," he said. |
| "I've got a young daughter and a wife that works hard - you gear your existence to the two incomes." | "I've got a young daughter and a wife that works hard - you gear your existence to the two incomes." |
| Team member Anthony Rogers said the rest of his colleagues were worried that they would lose out financially if they were also injured. | Team member Anthony Rogers said the rest of his colleagues were worried that they would lose out financially if they were also injured. |
| "We see ourselves as volunteers along the lines of lifeboat crews - we all have full-time jobs and don't do it for the money but to provide a valuable service," he said. | "We see ourselves as volunteers along the lines of lifeboat crews - we all have full-time jobs and don't do it for the money but to provide a valuable service," he said. |
| There are about 400 MCA search and rescue teams covering the UK | |
| "We have said we will not carry out duties involving risk of personal injury until we are satisfied that our families will not suffer unnecessarily in the event of an injury. | "We have said we will not carry out duties involving risk of personal injury until we are satisfied that our families will not suffer unnecessarily in the event of an injury. |
| "It is not a decision we have gone into lightly and the reason we have given the MCA 10 days notice is we hope to resolve this before then." | "It is not a decision we have gone into lightly and the reason we have given the MCA 10 days notice is we hope to resolve this before then." |
| In a statement, the MCA said it could not release information about individual employees but said the service provided by rescue officers was "valued highly". | In a statement, the MCA said it could not release information about individual employees but said the service provided by rescue officers was "valued highly". |
| It added rescue officers were covered under the Civil Service Injury Benefits Scheme. | It added rescue officers were covered under the Civil Service Injury Benefits Scheme. |
| "Under this scheme all cases are assessed on an individual basis by the Government medical officers," it said. | "Under this scheme all cases are assessed on an individual basis by the Government medical officers," it said. |
| The MCA added Mr MacFarlane was currently receiving payments under the scheme. | The MCA added Mr MacFarlane was currently receiving payments under the scheme. |