As you will know, Secretary of State for Transport, Justine Greening, has decided to press on with closing the Portland search and rescue (SAR) helicopter base.
Last week, I received a letter saying that, while she appreciated our concerns, her mind was made up.
There has been no consultation because Ms Greening writes that, since she is improving the service, consultation was unnecessary.
I beg to differ.
Along a stretch of coastline where a quarter of all coastguard callouts take place every year, the need for our helicopter is paramount.
Ms Greening writes that she believes the “substantial analysis” done by her civil servants, and “independently validated”, confirms that “the closure of Portland will not increase the overall risk of loss of life in the UK”.
Again, I beg to differ.
I intend to ask her for a copy of that analysis, as I believe it is fatally flawed.
Ms Greening adds that the new service will “lower maximum helicopter response times of approximately 38 minutes, down from 45 minutes at present”.
I have to say that I question these figures when our helicopter is currently available at a moment’s notice, 12 hours a day.
What concerns me most is that when the Portland helicopter goes, our alternative airborne cover at Lee on Solent could well be tasked elsewhere and therefore unavailable to us.
One helicopter can only be at one place at one time, however fast it is.
Under current arrangements, our helicopter often covers for Lee on Solent and vice versa.
Removing one will severely damage the integrity of SAR cover along the south coast.
The rigid analysis imposed on us does not take into account the increased wear and tear on both crews and machines over larger distances, but that is always the danger of statistics.
They often mislead and they have, here.
I urge you to sign the petition and ask friends and family to do the same.
I, we, will fight on.