Byline: The man who helped transform the RNLI into a multi-faceted, world-class search and rescue organisation is to be recognised for his contribution to the charity that saves lives at sea.

Page Content: Operations Director Michael Vlasto will receive an honorary RNLI Silver Medal, one of the charity’s highest accolades, at its Annual Presentation of Awards Ceremony in London on 23 May.

In his 16 years as Operations Director, Michael played an extraordinarily significant role in steering the charity from a lifeboating organisation to one which now includes lifeguards, hovercraft, flood rescue teams, lifeboats on the River Thames, and lifesaving training abroad. Devoted to his lifeboat volunteers’ safety, Michael and his team strove for cutting-edge lifesaving technology and training. In his 39 years at the RNLI, lifeboats have more than trebled in speed and major advances have been made in crew safety.

RNLI Chairman, Admiral The Lord Boyce, said: ‘Michael is a well-respected, influential and charismatic leader of the RNLI’s coastal operations and his achievements in the RNLI have been outstanding. He has inspired and implemented many of the more innovative - and sometimes courageous - steps that the Institution has taken in recent years.’ 

On being told of his award, Michael said: ‘It took me completely by surprise – I feel very humbled. Working for this wonderful organisation has been a privilege and also intensely rewarding.’

As Operations Director, Michael is responsible for the charity’s 237 lifeboat stations, their 6,000 crew, and 1,000 lifeguards across the UK and Ireland. He has shared the highs and lows of a close-knit maritime search and rescue organisation, which is integral to the UK and Irish coastal communities.

Michael was a Divisional Inspector in Scotland in 1981, when the eight volunteer crew of the Penlee lifeboat Solomon Browne were lost in Cornwall while trying to save those onboard the coaster Union Star.

Michael continued: ‘There have been tragic times. Penlee, and incidents where crew and their families are directly affected, stay with you for ever.’

Michael started at the RNLI in 1975 as an Assistant Inspector after nine years as a professional mariner with P&O. Since then, he oversaw the progression from an 8-knot fleet of Oakley, Barnet, Watson and Rother class lifeboats to the new, technologically advanced, 25-knot lifeboats like today’s Shannon and Tamar. As well as the improvements to the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat fleet, Michael introduced rescue hovercraft in 2002 to improve coverage in shallow waters and over mud flats and the charity now has four lifeboat stations equipped with these craft.

He was also instrumental in introducing lifeboats onto the River Thames in 2002 after the Marchioness disaster. Tower lifeboat station, near Waterloo Bridge in central London, uses boats capable of 40 knots for rapid response and is now the busiest station in the RNLI. 

RNLI lifeguards started watching over beaches in the southwest in 2001, a move seen by some as a radical departure from the RNLI’s traditional focus on lifeboats. Lifeguards now form a major and fundamental part of the charity’s lifesaving activity with around 1,000 lifeguards now patrolling over 200 beaches around the UK.

Under Michael’s leadership the charity’s Flood Rescue Team was formed in 2002 and had its busiest year in 2012, with 12 deployments to flooding incidents, notably in Wales, Devon and Cornwall.

Michael said: ‘These developments have been focussed on saving more lives at sea, which is what we’re about. But none of this would have happened without the dedication and hard work of a lot of people. And not just operational people; without the funding, without the support, without the technical expertise, we wouldn’t have made these massive steps forwards.’

Michael, a keen advocate of sharing RNLI knowledge and expertise with search and rescue organisations abroad, further developed the Institution’s move into international work, which has included training lifeguards in Senegal and Kenya, and lifeboat training in the People’s Republic of China, Bangladesh and Uruguay. Michael is currently Chairman of Trustees of the International Maritime Rescue Federation, the NGO representing the world’s search and rescue services which has consultative status at the International Maritime Organisation.

Lord Boyce continued: ‘The result of Michael’s unparalleled dedication to lifesaving - giving his time, emotion and commitment to the RNLI for nearly 40 years - is that he leaves behind an organisation which has grown massively in confidence and reach; which enjoys an unparalleled reputation for successful operations; and which has found a secure place in the public affection.
 
‘He also leaves behind the over 7,000 men and women who crew and operate the RNLI’s lifeboat stations, and about 1,000 lifeguards, feeling well-supported, well-equipped and highly confident in their abilities – all as a direct result of his stewardship’ 

Michael will be presented with his honorary Silver Medal at the RNLI’s Annual Presentation of Awards at the Barbican in London on 23 May. He retires in July and will be succeeded by George Rawlinson, currently RNLI Head of Lifesaving Operations. Among other plans, Michael intends to teach his grandchildren to sail in the dinghies his own children learned to sail. They will be wearing lifejackets!

Michael Vlasto timeline:

1966
• Joins the P&O Shipping company as a cadet, working his way up to Senior Second Officer
1975
• Joins the RNLI as Assistant Inspector based in the charity’s headquarters in Poole
1976
• Becomes Divisional Inspector of Lifeboats (Scotland South)
1984
• Becomes Divisional Inspector of Lifeboats (West)
1990
• Becomes Staff Officer Operations (Training)
1994
• Becomes Sea Safety Liaison Officer
1997
• Operations Director

RNLI timeline:

1972 
• The first RIB (rigid inflatable boat), the Atlantic 21, enters service.
1981
• The eight volunteer crew of the Penlee lifeboat Solomon Browne are lost while trying to save those onboard the coaster Union Star. This was the last time that volunteer RNLI crew members lost their lives while on service.
1999
• A new, standardised form of crew training, called Competency Based Training (CoBT) was introduced across the RNLI.
2001
• First RNLI lifeguards patrol beaches in southwest England
• The first inland lifeboat station is established at Enniskillen in Northern Ireland
2002
• Introduction of RNLI Rescue Hovercraft
• Introduction of RNLI International Flood Rescue Team
• Four RNLI lifeboat stations are established on the River Thames
2003
• Rod MacDonald becomes the first RNLI lifeguard to be awarded and RNLI medal.
2004
• Aileen Jones becomes the first female lifeboat crew member to be awarded an RNLI medal
2004
• The RNLI College opens in Poole
2006
• The Tamar class lifeboat enters service at Tenby


Media contacts
For more information please contact Isla Reynolds, Public Relations Officer, on 01202 663127 or 07899 076224 or by email at isla_reynolds@rnli.org.uk.