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Busy first half of the year for RNLI Fishguard training

Lifeboats News Release

Volunteers at RNLI Fishguard have had a busy six months undertaking training across the country to learn new skills or refresh those learned previously.

Volunteer crew members Amy, Jake, Cedwyn and Jessica following the successful completion of their casualty care course.

RNLI/Fishguard

Volunteer crew members Amy, Jake, Cedwyn and Jessica following the successful completion of their casualty care course.

This week four crew members including brother and sister Amy and Jake Thomson, and husband and wife Cedwyn and Jessica attended the RNLI lifeboats support centre in Cardigan to complete a three day course in casualty care.


This course provides our crews with everything they need to know as first responders when attending to incidents around our coast, from minor cuts to potentially life-threatening situations. It also provides opportunity for our crew members to familiarise themselves with the medical equipment carried on our lifeboats or kept at the station and how to use it correctly when the need arises.


Following practical and theory assessments, all four crew members are now able to assess and treat casualties to continue the charity’s work of saving lives at sea.

In May, Jessica also attended RNLI Barry Dock for a two day seamanship course in the use of the D-Class inshore lifeboat covering essential skills needed to locate and assist casualties on vessels, in the water or on our coast.

April saw the pass out of four new shore crew. Aaron Lloyd, Bryn Smith, Cedwyn Rogers and Florian Caroff all joined the RNLI Fishguard crew in September 2022 as trainee shore crew.


Shore crew carry pagers the same as boat crew and respond to assist in the preparation, launch, recovery and post recovery procedures associated with each vessel. During training they covered a number of topics from safety and station roles to knot tying and use of VHF radio.


To pass out they were deemed to be completely competent to carry out the shore side functions of the RNLI. They will play a pivotal part in assisting the next group of trainees gain the skills required, whilst they themselves have all applied to take the next step and become sea going boat crew.

In February three members of our crew attended the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset. Crew member Steve Grant attended to complete courses in the use of long range radio and all-weather lifeboat advanced navigation and radar. Crew members Charlie Musto and Jake Thomson attended and completed the crew emergency procedures course in the RNLI Sea Survival Centre, which covers everything crew need to know and be familiar with in the unlikely event that they need to abandon the vessel or capsizes in case of the D-Class inshore lifeboat. This is undertaken in a purpose built pool which can simulate various weather condition.

Chris Williams, RNLI Fishguard Volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager said:

'It has been a busy first half of the year for our volunteers here at Fishguard. I am proud of the commitment our volunteers show towards their training outside of the weekly training schedule, often taking time off work or away from their studies to attend these courses and maintaining the lifesaving capability of the station.
Our volunteers also would not be able to do this without the generosity of our supporters.'

Notes to Editors:

• The attached photo (Photo 1) shows volunteer crew members Amy, Jake, Cedwyn and Jessica following the successful completion of their casualty care course. (Thursday 22 June 2023) Credit. RNLI Fishguard.
• The attached photo (Photo 2) shows volunteer crew members Charlie and Jake at the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset during their crew emergency procedures course. (February 2023) Credit. RNLI Fishguard.

RNLI Media Contacts
For more information please contact Cedwyn Rogers, Lifeboat Press Officer on [email protected] or RNLI Regional Media Officer Claire Elshaw on [email protected] / 07468 353082

RNLI online
For more information, please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the RNLI News Centre.

Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.

Volunteer crew members Charlie and Jake at the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset during their crew emergency procedures course.

RNLI/Fishguard

Volunteer crew members Charlie and Jake at the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset during their crew emergency procedures course.

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

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