SECTION 1.  INTRODUCTION

a. Objectives of this reference manual

i) To try and collect as much as possible of the learned experience and knowledge into one place and make it available to all watch-keepers.

ii) To provide a method of easily increasing and/or modifying this manual whenever additional or revised information becomes available.  Should any watch-keeper have any suggestions to improve this manual, please inform the Station Manager.

iii) There will only be one original of this Manual, kept in the Tower.  This will avoid the problems that might be caused by attempting to maintain copies.

iv) It is not the intention that this manual should supplant the current Training Manual but that it should, eventually, provide a source of reference when needed.

b. Charitable Status

The National Coastwatch Institution is a purely voluntary organisation and has charitable status.

c. Membership

i) All members and officers of this institution are volunteers.

ii) Watchkeeping in the Tower will normally be undertaken by two volunteers at a time and of whom at least one will have been “assessed” as suitable for the task.

iii) Under exceptional circumstances, it might be necessary for the Watch to be kept by only one man (Always one who will have been “assessed” as suitable). 

a. No female volunteer will ever be allowed to stand a watch alone – as a matter of her personal safety. 

b. In the event that a male volunteer finds that he has had to begin a watch alone he must, within ten minutes of arrival in the Tower, telephone the Duty Officer.  There will be a current “Duty Watch Officer Rota” pinned to the notice-board (beneath the clock on the NW pillar) and he will see the name and telephone number for the Duty Officer responsible for that day.  The lone Watchkeeper should inform the Duty Officer of his situation and report each hour, on the hour, thereafter until his duty period is completed OR advise promptly if another watchkeeper should later arrive to assist.

iv) The East Devon County Council have provided two car-parking spaces for  watch keepers whilst they are actually on duty and are clearly displaying the permits in the windscreens of their cars.  Such permits can be supplied by the Station Manager and must be surrendered to him when no longer needed.