Long service recognition for two members of staff at Shetland Coastguard Operations Centre

Her Majesty’s Coastguard has recognised the long service of two staff members based at Shetland Coastguard Operations Centre.

Recently, Katrina Hampson, a Maritime Operations Officer, marked over 20 years with the coastguard and was awarded for her long service and good conduct, which involved receiving a certificate, medal and pin.

Katrina joined HM Coastguard in October 1999 and has occupied a variety of roles over the course of the past two decades, including a spell as Watch Officer and Watch Manager, in which she quickly became an integral part of the team. In her existing position, Katrina operates at the heart of the operation in Shetland by working with colleagues to help coordinate responses to a whole range of incidents in coastal areas and at sea.

Her colleague, Cassie Stevens, now a Training and Standards Officer, was also formally recognised for 10 years’ worth of service with HM Coastguard, by being presented with a certificate and pin.

Having made the long move from Essex to the Shetland Islands in 2010 at the age of just 19, Cassie has made the Islands her home and experienced a range of job roles, working as a coastguard Watch Assistant and Watch Officer, before becoming a Maritime Operations Specialist. In her current position, Cassie's responsibilities include maintaining the operational standards of the 40 staff at Shetland and Belfast.

Commenting on the distinguished service of both of his colleagues, Errol Smith, Maritime Operations Controller at the Coastguard Operations Centre in Shetland, said: “Both Katrina and Cassie are valuable members of the team and have contributed so much during their respected periods of service with HM Coastguard. It was a real pleasure to present both of them with this fully deserved recognition. We’re a real family at the Shetland CGOC and I know everyone is extremely proud of their achievements.”

Katrina pictured receiving her long service awards from Errol.

Cassie has been working with HM Coastguard since 2010.

Popular posts from this blog

Label your kit at the coast

Image
Kayaks. Canoes. Paddleboards. What do they all have in common? They’re quite often found on the coastline or drifting out to sea. And if we don’t know who they belong to, we can spend time searching for an owner when they’re home safe and sound. So please help us to help you. Label your kit so that if you do get separated from it, and it turns up somewhere, we can get hold of you. In recent weeks, our Coastguard Rescue Teams have found numerous items such as kayaks and canoes drifting out at sea or abandoned near the shoreline. Unfortunately, some of the items we have found have not had their owners’ contact details written on them nor been reported as missing to the Coastguard. As a result, it makes it difficult for us to find out who it belongs to and also means we can never be completely sure if someone is safe or in the worst case, in trouble at sea. This can place a huge strain on our resources especially during the busy summer period when we have to call upon our Coastgua
Read more

A short history of HM Coastguard

Image
Today HM Coastguard is a world leader in maritime search and rescue. Looking back almost 200 years, the goods, which now travel by road, were carried by hundreds of small ships. Year in year out dozens of ships and hundreds of lives were lost within sight of the coast. Public shock and dismay at the tragedies drove forward the creation of national life saving organisations. Though it’s beginnings lie in those decades HM Coastguard originated not to meet the dangers of the seas but to combat a threat to the country’s economy and security – smuggling. As soon as medieval taxes were charged on imports and exports, people began smuggling. By 1743 th e estimate was that half the tea drunk in Britain was illegally imported and shows that smuggling was highly profitable. Smugglers have often been romanticised but the reality was brutal. Local people lived in fear, with violent reprisals on informers and the murder of revenue officers, while corruption enabled smugglers to evade harsh p
Read more

Emergency Radio Procedures: Does your fishing crew know what to do?

Image
DSC emergency radio procedures                                                              Picture: Planefocus Fitting a Digital Selective Calling radio on your vessel and knowing how to use it in an emergency could save your life.   If the worst were to happen at sea, using a DSC radio correctly can save vital time in getting those in trouble back to the shore.   Calling HM Coastguard with DSC in an emergency significantly helps in locating an incident and providing that help.      Most fixed VHF radios come with built-in DSC, meaning the Coastguard can be called easily and fast.   Assistant Chief Coastguard Matt Leat said:  “DSC means information is sent quickly and clearly so a rescue can begin right away. As well as having a registered personal locator beacon (PLB) per crew member on board, with DSC you’ll be assisting the Coastguard in locating you much faster.   “No one wants to be in an emergency situation and have to use DSC or a PLB, but that does not mean your vessel sho
Read more