Boats and stations
Anton Page
Senior Lifeguard
Read more"With the tide and big swell running, it was only 15-20 minutes before they would have smashed into the cliff face"
Lifeboats
The RNLI has a range of different lifeboats, strategically placed around the UK and Republic of Ireland, to meet the needs of various locations and rescue types.
Lifeguard equipment
The RNLI employs around 300 seasonal lifeguards and also has some 50 volunteer lifeguards at units in the south west of England. The service operates a fleet of inshore rescue boats, rescue water craft and four-wheel drive vehicles.
Running costs
Our running costs averaged around £330,000 (€484,510) per day in 2005. For every £1 raised, 78p was spent on operations, 3p was spent on support and 19p was spent on fundraising.
Boat design and build
RNLI designers and engineers are continually working on developing new classes of lifeboats, and making improvements to existing ones, to meet the ever-changing needs of the service.
Stations
The building and upkeep of the RNLI's 233 lifeboat stations and facilities are mammoth tasks, with development and maintenance costing around £12M each year.