Emergency Services Day with HM Coastguard
To celebrate 999 Day, we spoke with a longstanding coastguard and a potential new recruit about keeping people safe at the coast.
As one of the UK’s emergency services, HM Coastguard stands ready round the clock to help anyone in difficulty at sea or on the coast.
That capability involves a vast range of activities, from search and rescue to counter-pollution and ship safety – but also a wide variety of people.
We spoke to one of HM Coastguard’s youngest, 16-year-old Felix Palmer fresh from a week of work experience, and seasoned veteran Coastguard Jonathon Cliff, who has more than 40 years of service under his belt.
On Emergency Services Day, here’s what being part of the blue light family means to them.
Felix (16)
Felix’s face lights up when he recalls the visit to see HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopters at their base during his week of work experience.
His ambition is one day to be a pilot or an engineer for one of the iconic red and white aircraft. Some of his friends are considering a medical or military career.
“I think people definitely respect the emergency services” says Felix.
“I am really interested in pursuing a career in the aeronautical area. If I get the skills, I would like to use them for good – to help rather than for commercial use.”
He would be following in the footsteps of his mum, Henrietta Palmer, who works at HM Coastguard as Learning Solutions Manager, Technical Training.
As well as the helicopter base, Felix’s week with HM Coastguard included witnessing the operations room at the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Fareham, mud rescue practice, vessel traffic management, and work with data science and engineering.
Felix said: “The coastguard is so wide-ranging – there's pretty much a job for everyone. There’s such a range of things to do.
“The systems that they use – I did not realise how in depth they were and how complex they were. I did not realise HM Coastguard operates all the way up the UK to the Shetlands.
“My mum tells me about HM Coastguard and it always fascinates me, especially the operations rooms – how they work, the systems they use to track the ships, and how the Coastguard fits into the other emergency services.”
Felix adds: “I definitely have a lot more respect for what goes on at HM Coastguard.”
Jonathon, Station Officer for Hornsea Coastguard Rescue Team (62)
From daring cliff rescues to searches for missing people, award-winning veteran Coastguard Jonathon Cliff has a lifetime of experience keeping people safe at the coast in Hornsea, Yorkshire.
Starting with HM Coastguard at the age of 16 in 1979, Jonathon’s 45 years of experience have seen huge changes within rescue technology and coastal safety, but as he’s keen to point out, the core aspects of the emergency service remain the same.
“We’ve definitely got far busier at Hornsea, as technology has advanced and enabled people to report incidents more easily,” says Jonathon.
“Throughout my time with the Coastguard, I’ve seen just about everything, from the humorous to the routine and sadly the tragic. But HM Coastguard is all about helping the community, making a difference, and making sure people are safe, and that's never changed.”
Being part of the emergency services family is a lifechanging commitment, and it’s often something that families make great sacrifices to support. As well as his work as a Coastguard, Jonathon worked for the police for 30 years.
“Family is key to making our volunteering a success. If lives are at risk, that’s the focus. Families can and do understand, and without my family’s support, I wouldn’t have been able to do this.”
Offering some friendly words of advice and encouragement to those looking to follow in his footsteps, Jonathon says: “When I was just starting out, there were very wise ‘older’ Coastguards who were ex Royal or Merchant Navy, probably younger than I am now!
“Rinse every drop of advice, learning and knowledge from the more experienced people around you. Be confident, do your best and focus on what you’re there to do. As emergency services, we’re here to help. Never forget that you’re a very important part of that machine.”
