Visits to Bembridge RNLI have been suspended and the charity’s shop in the village has been closed as a precautionary measure over coronavirus.
There have been no reports of any Bembridge volunteers experiencing symptoms of the virus at the station or while at home. However, since Bembridge attracts a large number of visitors compared to many other stations in the RNLI, it has been decided it would be sensible to keep it closed for the time being.
Management will be reviewing this decision frequently.
Area Lifesaving Manager Ed Stevens has said:
“We realise this may be disappointing to the many people who enjoy visiting our shop and boathouse at Bembridge. However, our priority has to be ensuring the lifeboat station remains operational and able to save lives at sea. We look forward to welcoming visitors back into the building as soon as possible and thank people for their understanding”.
The world has gone mad
Totally bonkers!
The island at any rate.
Bembridge is full of the elderly and should it strike the large village then many would perish. Plenty are on finally salary pensions and the loss of huge streams of income would have a detrimental effect on the village as a whole.
A wise move, which should be copied by others, including the IW Festival, as to enjoy four days of fun, but knowing that many more elderly will die, is hardly justified, at least to less money grabbing people than the promotors.
Agree, shocked more people don’t, we can still have fun without these events and if it means we save lives then we should do anything
Rather odd that this particular establishment has ‘decided’ to close !!
Virus case has to be or why put the post out?
Stupidity spreads faster than any virus
They are just being sensible, what if a visitor brought the virus and infected the crew? That would be mad.
Totally agree Veronica, it would be akin to the Fire service, or Ambulance service having an ‘open’ Fire station or Ambulance station for the public.
There is NO NEED, and risking essential crew for a few gawping bored Holiday makers from Warners is not worth someone in distress at sea dying should they pass on CV to the valuable crew.
People here are so dim it is cringeworthy.
What would you rather do, have fun or save lives? If you’d rather have fun and potentially harm people in the process your messed up and selfish! Its the right thing to do
Now we see that the life boats are used to take seriously ill island patients to the mainland, surely not coincidence? If they are using life boats rather than the air ambulance for Corona Virus than this could be the reason.