rusty_monkey. My, my; how far did you spit that dummy?
Contrary to popular belief, gash ferries aren't available at the drop of a hat. Certainly not ones with current safety documents. Accordingly, it would be reasonable for Fleet to plug the gap in the Airbridge. I trust that Fleet will get a suitable budget transfer from DSCOM.
cazatou seems to have a good grasp of Fleet's problem with moving the Public. Life saving equipment (lifejacket type and liferaft numbers) in all but a few RFAs would not meet MCA requirements. They can be augmented but the means to do so aren't sitting on a shelf (Resource Account Budgetting, anyone?) for the odd need for Aid to the Civil Authority. In an emergency, rules can be waived but a risk remains. That risk is largely Crown liabilty to compensation in the, albeit unlikely, event of an accident.
Few things are as simple as they first appear.