The vast majority of UK HEMS helicopters are funded by a variety of successful charities yet they employ professionals at the sharp end. No problem there Tallsar. Granted I doubt that any can match the RNLI for the amount of cash they raise but using paid professionals is all part of the RNLI strategy as the vital crewmen on the lifeboats are retained professionals.
My advice would be to give them one area to manage, like the south coast, and see how they get on with a thoroughly integrated system. Helicopters, lifeboats, inshore rescue craft and lifeguards. Once they have learnt the ropes they can take on the next area and so on.
Time to wean ourselves off the current system that only serves to put money in the wrong pockets or subsidise the military
PR machine.
If we took our collective heads out of the sands we would see that other models such as the Swiss rescue service can also be successful without the need for either profit-motive or military leadership.
Empires, turf-wars and egos, that's all that stand in our way.
G.
