The team at the Broughty Ferry lifeboat have signalled their support for hard-pressed local NHS workers.
The lifeboat crew is currently flying international signal flags that spell out N, H, S under its own RNLI banner.
Murray Brown, coxswain at Broughty Ferry RNLI, said: “We just want to show our appreciation to all those frontline NHS workers. You’re doing an amazing job, thank you.”
International signal flags, usually used by afloat vessels, each hold their own meaning. N usually means “negative”, H “I have a pilot aboard” and S “I am operating astern propulsion”.
An RNLI spokesman said: “However, as the station is on dry land and (hopefully) not likely to float anywhere, there is little danger of causing confusion.”
The RNLI continues to operate its lifesaving service at its 238 lifeboat stations around the UK and Ireland, 36 of which are in Scotland.
Volunteers are still on hand 24/7 to answer their pagers, in case of emergency, and rescue those in need.
Michael Avril, regional water safety lead for Scotland, said: “We have, of course, had to change the way in which we operate, to ensure our crews are as safe as possible.
“Volunteers and staff only attend the lifeboat station now if absolutely, operationally, necessary. However, we are still on hand 24/7 to respond when tasked by the coastguard.
“We are asking the public to be mindful of this and to take extra care when around the water and not to partake in water based activities like surfing, sailing or kayaking, until the lockdown measures have been lifted by the government.
“If our crews are paged, it means they have to break social distancing, putting themselves at risk.”
RNLI crews around the UK and Ireland have been finding ways to show their support for NHS workers and their colleagues in the other emergency services.
Ideas have included ‘pass the pager’ videos, where crews digitally stitch together clips that show them throwing and catching the pager to ‘each other’ to flying flags and recording messages of support.
