Carrybridge RNLI Celebrate Two Navigator Passouts And Two Helm Revalidations
Carrybridge Lifeboat Station is proud to announce that two of its volunteer crew members, Simon Carson and Colin Beacom, have successfully completed their Navigator passouts. During this visit David Reid and Thomas Graham also successfully completed their Helm Revalidations.
The passouts and both revalidations were conducted by Sean Ginnelly, Coastal Lifeboat Trainer, who had travelled up from Achill Island to conduct the assessments on behalf of the RNLI.
The passouts, conducted on Monday and Tuesday of this week, both ashore at the Lifeboat station and afloat on Upper Lough Erne lasted five hours and rigorously tested the volunteers’ skills. The role of ILB Navigator was introduced at the beginning of 2024, part of the RNLI's new Operational Competency Framework that went live at the same time. Colin and Simon demonstrated high standards of skill using charts, radar, AIS, GPS, buoyage, passage planning, search patterns and knowledge of local waters.
The new revalidation process requires helms to be reassessed every five years on various command activities both ashore and afloat to ensure safe operations of the lifeboat. David has been a helm with our station since 2002 when the station opened and Thomas qualified as a helm in 2017 having joined the crew in 2010.
These passouts and revalidations represent the culmination of many years of intensive training for these crew members having logged hundreds of hours in afloat exercises, hands-on sessions, and active service calls in all conditions.
Carrybridge RNLI continues to train volunteers in various roles, both afloat and ashore, to the highest standards as part of its mission to save lives on Lough Erne.
Chris Cathcart, Volunteer Lifeboat Training Coordinator noted, “I would like to congratulate both Simon and Colin on obtaining their Navigator roles which were completed to a very high standard. Additionally, well done to David and Thomas on revalidating their Helm roles. All four men are a great asset to our station and enhance our future lifesaving capabilities on Lough Erne.”
Stephen Scott, Lifeboat Operations Manager at the station says, “I’d like to congratulate Simon, Colin, David and Thomas on successfully completing their passouts and revalidations. We are fortunate to have a really committed volunteer crew at our station in Carrybridge and I’m delighted that today we celebrate their success. Getting to the navigator and helm levels on our boat requires a lot of dedication and sacrifice on the part of Simon, Colin, David and Thomas and having them achieve these milestones in their careers sets our station up with leaders for the future.
Ends
Photo Detail:
Left to right in photo one: David Reid (Helm) and Sean Ginnelly (Coastal Lifeboat Trainer).
Left to right in photo two: Thomas Graham (Helm), Sean Ginnelly (Coastal Lifeboat Trainer), Simon Carson (Navigator) and Colin Beacom (Navigator)
Photograph credit: Stephen Scott Carrybridge RNLI
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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around Ireland and the UK. The RNLI operates 10 lifeboat stations in Northern Ireland and in a normal year has 11 lifeguarded beaches which it operates seasonally. 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, the charity has saved over 142,700 lives.
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For further information, please contact:
Stephen Scott, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Ireland, 07557312663, [email protected]
Chris Cathcart, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Ireland, 07595895908, email [email protected]
Nuala McAloon, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Ireland, 087 648 3547, [email protected]
Niamh Stephenson, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Ireland, 087 125 4124, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.
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