The Netherlands Coastguard will no longer automatically send a lifeboat from the Royal Dutch Rescue Company (KNRM) with every breakdown on the water. In non-urgent cases, the person seeking help will have to seek help from a (commercial) help provider. reports the Coast Guard Tuesday.
From next Monday, the Coast Guard will distinguish between urgent and non-urgent emergency calls. In the latter case, such as in the event of an engine breakdown under safe conditions, commercial recovery companies can also handle the report. The coastguard center can help clients find a suitable counselor.
It is still the case that the coastguard center in Den Helder sends a lifeboat from the KNRM on its way with every alarm. Every year, this concerns an average of 1,600 emergency calls from professional shipping or water sports enthusiasts. The KNRM is the only organization in the Netherlands that can guarantee assistance on the water 24 hours a day.
The new working method was developed after consultation between the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Coastguard, the KNRM and various recovery companies.
‘In case of a car breakdown, you also call the roadside assistance and not 112’
“The KNRM volunteers no longer have to leave their day-to-day work or sacrifice free time for every report,” says KNRM director Jacob Tas.
The Coast Guard compares the new procedure with the situation on the road: “In the event of a car breakdown, you call the road guard and not the emergency number 112.”
According to Edwin van der Pol, head of operations at the Coast Guard, a water sports enthusiast is responsible for proper preparation. “That includes the question: what do I do if I have a breakdown? Who do I call”, he says.
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