17 December 2008 ‘Brixham Coastguard, this is NCI Prawle Point reporting a casualty FOR EXERCISE. The casualty is an orange RIB, in position one six zero degrees true, zero decimal seven five nautical miles from Prawle Point. The two men on board are waving their arms in distress….’
This is how the recent Exercise November, a joint exercise between NCI Prawle Point, Salcombe Lifeboat and Salcombe Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) and Brixham Coastguard, got under way. The objective of the exercise, which formed part of the station’s Annual DFS Review, was to test the NCI watchkeepers’ ability to guide or ‘con’ the lifeboat to a casualty with the lifeboat’s helmsman ‘steering blind’ and the ILB acting as the casualty. The morning had dawned cold but dry, with a force 5 offshore wind and a calm sea close inshore.
The lifeboat, having been tasked as part of the exercise, crossed Salcombe Bar and, as it headed out to sea, the Prawle Point watchkeepers, with Brixham Coastguard’s consent, gave directions directly on VHF channel zero.
Initially the lifeboat was given the casualty’s lat/long position, but when she was within one nautical mile of her target, the directions were given in terms of o’clock position and estimated distance, for example: ‘the casualty is at your eleven o’clock, at 800 metres’. Good conning by watchkeeper David Stone soon had the lifeboat within 100 metres and then when the direction was given ‘the casualty is at your one o’clock, three lifeboat lengths’ the lifeboat crew, removing their imaginary blindfolds, were able to confirm that they had the casualty visual and under their wing.
As the exercise progressed, it was clear that lessons learnt from a previous joint exercise held in September 2007, and from the subsequent indoor training using the ‘Prawle Point conning simulator’ had paid dividends. This time round the directions were clear, precise and generally fairly accurate and the radio procedure much improved. Roger Barrett, Prawle Point Station Manager travelling on the lifeboat, was able to monitor each run, not only by looking out of the window and by listening to the radio comms. through his headphones, but also by referring to the impressive flat screen display - the Systems and Information Management System (SIMS) - in front of him.
Watchkeeper Andy Thomson did well guiding the lifeboat on its second run and responded to a request that conning directions be given at more regular intervals. The biggest challenge, however, came on the third run when Alan Davey and David Kerr had to con both lifeboats onto a small floating buoy at the same time. Just to make things more difficult a coaster transiting the exercise area and steering an erratic course, had to be closely monitored as the sea became choppier, making it difficult for the watchkeepers to maintain visual contact with the buoy. This was a difficult exercise but Alan and David both did a masterful job.For the fourth run, excellent conning by watchkeeper David Kerr again took the new Tamar lifeboat straight through rough seas to the casualty.
As soon as the exercise was completed, feedback was sought from all the participants including the lifeboat crews and the duty watch at Brixham Coastguard. All agreed that it had gone very well. This conclusion was echoed in the DFS Assessor’s report: ‘the exercise was extremely successful and reflected both the excellent relations between the SAR partners and the enthusiasm and skills of the NCI Prawle Point watchkeepers’.
If any station is planning a similar exercise they may wish to contact Roger Barrett at [email protected]. He is happy to e-mail copies of the exercise orders, briefing notes for participating watchkeepers, the pilot disk used at Prawle and instructions on its use, as well as info. on the ‘Prawle Point patent conning simulator’.