Humber RNLI celebrates Coxswain pass out

Sean Cheston (AKA Chezzy) Humber Lifeboat crew / navigator completed his coxswain's assessment with the RNLI’s Assessor Trainer Manager Peter McColl, and Assessor Trainer Alasdair Young, after months of intensive training and development on station at Humber and at the charity’s training college in Poole. Chezzy is now qualified to take command of the Humber Lifeboat as Coxswain.

Chezzy took command of the Humber Lifeboat and crew on a pass out exercise which included a series of tasks ranging from search and rescue unit boat handling, radar and navigation management, managing anchoring, search and fire rescue unit firefighting, command in buoyage systems and local knowledge, and command and management of search and rescue. Chezzy was also tested on his leadership skills and crew management.

During the assessment, HM Coastguard contacted the Humber Lifeboat and requested their immediate assistance to investigate the possibility of a person in the water between Cleethorpes Pier and Grimsby, throughout this shout Chezzy remained in command of the lifeboat. Once the shout was completed and declared as a false alarm with good intent, the assessment resumed with Chezzy in full command until completion, and then returned back to station at Grimsby, in total the Humber Lifeboat was at sea for four and a half hours.

Chezzy will continue in his role as crew/navigator aboard the charity’s Humber Lifeboat, and will now deputise as coxswain to maintain lifesaving operations in the area when the station’s coxswains are away on leave, or away on training.

RNLI Station Manager Mark Branton said ‘I would like to congratulate, and say a huge thank you to Chezzy for his hard work and determination in qualifying on this essential role of coxswain for Humber Lifeboat, I would also like to thank Station Coxswains and Mechanics, our full time and volunteer crews, for supporting Chezzy during his training period’.

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 142,700 lives.

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