30 April 2009 NCI Polruan completed another successful joint exercise on 19 April ensuring the station’s maintenance of its Declared Facility Status (DFS) within the Search and Rescue network.

HM Coastguard, Brixham, was over all co-ordinator of this annual exercise which also involved NCI Charlestown, a Sea King rescue helicopter from 771 squadron based at RNAS Culdrose, the Fowey All-Weather and Inshore Lifeboats, the local Auxiliary Coastguard Cliff Rescue team and Polruan`s retained Firemen.

The exercise, which commenced at 10.00am and lasted for a little under two hours, involved the placing, and recovery, of three ‘casualties’ in St. Austell Bay, the third of which was a real life ‘casualty’ in the shape of Liz Jolliff, the wife of Polruan NCI watchkeeper David Jolliff who had sportingly volunteered to be ‘saved’ from the couple`s yacht, Kjempekjekk.

The operation was carried out successfully and Liz was safely deposited from the Sea King in front of the Polruan Look Out (now equipped with a useful wind sock, also much appreciated by the Air Ambulance) as was the crewman who the Sea King had also successfully winched up from the ILB.  

All involved agreed that it had been a successful exercise for everyone  concerned, particularly the NCI watchkeepers who normally get very little chance to practice VHF procedures.