5 March 2009 In retrospect 2008 proved to be another year of excellent progress at NCI.

No less than four new watchstations became operational at Shoreham in Sussex, Gosport in Hampshire, Skegness in Lincolnshire and Nare Point in Cornwall. A total of 39 stations are now operational and, following an extended refit at St Agnes, this will shortly rise to 40. Over 90% of them have achieved Declared Facility Status with the full support of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

More than 1,700 trained and trainee volunteers completed a total of some 171,000 hours watchkeeping during the year identifying and logging over 340,000 vessels at no cost to the public.

179 watchkeepers have now been awarded ten year service medals.

During 2008, NCI stations recorded, or were asked for assistance in, more than 700 incidents involving contact with organisations varying from the MCA, police and ambulance services to wildlife, pollution and environmental agencies. A total of 52 incidents initiated by NCI resulted in lifeboat rescues involving the RNLI. All manner of situations were logged from disabled yachts and ribs, capsized speedboats, drifting surfers and debris on the water to beach walkers cut off by the tide as well as dogs or cattle stranded on cliffs.

Commenting on progress, NCI Chairman Jon Gifford said: “Building on our success to date, 2009 already looks to be an even more significant year of development and expansion for our charity, with no less than nine new stations either actively under negotiation or in the pipeline”.

2008 STATISTICS

VESSELS IDENTIFIED AND LOGGED
Commercial and Military	172,424
Leisure	169,008
Total	341,432
VOLUNTEER HOURS ON WATCH	171,000
VOLUNTEERS
Trained and trainees	1,628
Auxiliaries	103
Total	1,731
INCIDENTS RECORDED
MCA	508
Police	90
Ambulance, Wildlife, Pollution	109
Total	707
NCI initiated lifeboat rescues	52