Newhaven RNLI volunteer crew Sam Briggs achieved Tier 2 level passout for All-Weather Lifeboat operations following her final assessment afloat on Monday 7 July. But back at the station congratulations were to wait. No sooner had the kettle boiled, Pagers bleeped.
Achieving Tier 2 status reflects a deep commitment to training and the ability to perform under pressure. It signifies that a volunteer crew has progressed and successfully completed training in more advanced skills and knowledge required for lifeboat operations.
Volunteer Sam Briggs demonstrated she has the required level of proficiency. RNLI crew are expected to work effectively as a team, and Tier 2 training emphasizes this aspect.
Sam Briggs, Volunteer Crew, says: ‘The ALB was washed down. We were just about to settle down with a cup of tea. It was beautiful and sunny on the deck. And then the pagers went off.’
At 4.51pm on Monday 7 July HM Coastguard requested launch of Newhaven RNLI’s D-class In-shore Lifeboat (ILB).
‘We were still in our kit and there were plenty of hands to get the boat launched quickly.’
The request for urgent assistance came in from Seaford, where a woman was in trouble in the water. The 24th service call for Newhaven’s ILB this year, the lifeboat made best speed. The volunteer crew located the woman over 200 metres offshore.
‘We train and we train some more. How to handle different weather conditions, navigate challenging waters, and perform complex manoeuvres. It feels good to passout with Tier 2. It feels great to save a life.’
The Newhaven RNLI crew assisted the woman onto the lifeboat and took her to safety. Back at the station the team were finally able to congratulate Sam, who was rewarded with a chocolate muffin baked by Carol, wife of a fellow crew member.
Ends
Notes for the Editor
Newhaven Lifeboat Station was first established in 1803. Newhaven Lifeboat Station has been RNLI operated since 1854.
ALB – All-weather Lifeboat
ILB – Inshore Lifeboat
D class – the lifeboat was first introduced into the RNLI fleet in 1963, the design of the inflatable D class lifeboat continues to evolve to meet changes in demand and technology. She is highly manoeuvrable and usually operates closer to shore than our all-weather lifeboats. She comes into her own for searches and rescues in the surf, shallow water and confined locations - often close to cliffs, among rocks and even inside caves.
Severn class - as an all-weather lifeboat, the Severn class can take on the worst sea conditions and comes into her own on long offshore searches and rescues. She is designed to lie afloat, either at deep-water moorings or alongside at a berth. Following a tradition of naming our modern lifeboats after rivers, the Severn is named after the Severn River – the longest river in the UK.
RNLI media contacts
For more information, please telephone Roz Ashton, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07900 887423 or
[email protected] or Hatti Mellor, National Media Manager on 01273 818012
[email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
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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.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok 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.
