Falmouth RNLI volunteers pass three key training milestones

Training at Falmouth RNLI never really stops, and last week it paid off for three volunteers at once.

A new voice on the radio

The first pass came from Jemma HB, who sat and passed her Marine VHF licence exam. It qualifies her as a radio operator, the person who liaises with HM Coastguard and other rescue assets while a shout is under way.

Ready to crew the lifeboat

The second was Claudia, known to the crew as CJ, who successfully passed her crew tier two assessment.

The Tier 2 pass-out is a crucial milestone for RNLI volunteers, marking their readiness to operate onboard the lifeboat. The evaluation tests essential skills including collision avoidance regulations, basic navigation, and the ability to helm the lifeboat during man overboard scenarios. Candidates must also demonstrate they have retained their Tier 1 skills, among them anchoring, towing and seamanship.

The assessment itself begins with a rigorous theory session, followed by a practical exercise at sea under the guidance of a Coastal Lifeboat Trainer. Passing it qualifies a volunteer as a crew member and opens the door to progression through the RNLI’s Operational Competency Framework, from crew member to Navigator and, eventually, Helm.

The decision to launch

The final success of the week belonged to Neil Capper, who passed his Launching Authority assessment. It is a responsible position: Neil can now liaise with HM Coastguard, assess conditions on the water, and make the call on whether to launch either of the station’s lifeboats when a request comes in. He has also, as Falmouth’s volunteers put it, gained the key to the paperwork cupboard.

Many congratulations to all three, a great achievement securing the future of lifesaving in Falmouth. Falmouth RNLI shared a photo of CJ to mark the occasion, joking that the other two were camera shy, or, as they put it, they’d run out of film.

📷CJ, one of Falmouth RNLI's volunteers, pictured after her recent pass-out. Credit: RNLI