Tobermory RNLI help local firefighters to tackle grass fire on Calve Island
Tobermory RNLI’s volunteer crew transported local retained firefighters to Calve Island to tackle a serious fire, one of whom was the great grandson of Tobermory lifeboat’s first ever Coxswain.
Tobermory RNLI launched last night at 6.25pm on Monday 8th May to transport local firefighters to tackle a large grass fire on Calve Island in Tobermory Bay. In total, nine firefighters were transferred across to the island, including Tobermory Watch Manager Iain ‘Phooey’ Noble whose great-grandfather, Alexander Noble, was the first Coxswain of the Tobermory lifeboat, serving between 1938 and 1947. The firefighters successfully put out the grass fire and returned to Tobermory where the lifeboat was refuelled and made ready for service at 8.41pm.
Tobermory Coxswain David McHaffie said: ‘We were alerted to the fire during a Lifeboat Management Group meeting at the station where, ironically, we were just in the middle of a discussion about working with other agencies. We’re pleased that we were able to play a small part in helping our colleagues from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service get the fire under control and put it out so quickly. And we were all particularly pleased to give Watch Manager Noble a lift on the lifeboat given his family connection to our first ever Coxswain.’
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