4. Observations
a. Watchkeeping – Procedures
Your principal concern is to observe the safety of life of everyone within visible range of the Tower, whether they be on the beach or out at sea. To do this effectively it is essential that you keep a careful watch using all optical devices available in the Tower.
i. Taking bearings – there is a Spotting Telescope and Large Binoculars, each of which has been secured to a wooden plinth and fitted with a 360º compass azimuth to enable you to take accurate True Bearings, provided that you have properly placed these supporting plinths against the colour-coded marks on the observation shelves. Please note that there is no Magnetic Compass provided within the Tower, because none is needed.
ii. Plotting – before going to the chart, check that you have taken the bearings accurately and not mistakenly noted a reciprocal. Check with your watch-keeping colleague. Write down the bearing, and the local time it was taken, for future reference – it might be needed later.
b. Reporting incidents – priorities and logging procedures are summarised in the attached “Spot, Plot & Report” checklist.
i. Do not hesitate to report something you have seen which might not result in an incident – but it just might - better to be safe than sorry.
ii. Treat every potential incident as if it could result in a casualty.
iii. Remember that you are mainly concerned with incidents that occur on the beach or the sea, within sight of your Tower and your report telephone calls should be made to whichever Coast Guard station, noted below, is primarily responsible for that area.
iv. Keep in mind that because of the geographical divisions of authority between the two Coast Guard stations below, our primary duty is to the Portland CG – particularly when logging our station on or off.
v. You are not obliged to use the “Spot, Plot & report” checklist but you should endeavour to keep a careful record of such clear and detailed information at a minimum. Indeed, there may be incidents where you need more space than is allowed in the small sections on such a single sheet of paper.
· Portland HMCG – our reports for landward incidents.
· Brixham HMCG – our reports for seaward incidents.
c. Records
i. The log – is an important record of our activities and can show our continuing fitness to retain our accreditation as a “Declared Facility”. It is also a legal document that can be called on as evidence in a court or tribunal.
a. Upon conclusion of an incident you should contact the emergency service concerned and ask for their ‘incident number’. This must be recorded in the log and the Incident Report Form.
b. When you commence the task of completing the Incident Report Form, you should telephone the Station Manager (or Deputy) of this incident and that you have begun completing Report Form.
c. Note that throughout the year, all emergency services maintain their records using UTC/GMT and will refer to their incident report number in such terms. Note: this does not prevent us from keeping our log and other records in Local Time provided that this is clearly noted in all our records. The Station Manager (aka Station Controller) will verify this when signing off the Incident Report.
d. Keep in mind that a properly completed “Spot, Plot & Report” check list, although it does not legally replace the “log”, may be considered as ‘good evidence’ and will certainly help with the completion of the Incident Report form (see below).
e. Keep in mind that when you report an incident by calling 999 to the Police, Ambulance or Fire/Rescue concerning an inshore incident, such as a road accident, etc, near to the Tower, it will help those services if you can provide them with an accurate location by reference to the Ordnance Survey National Grid Reference of this Tower:- SY 003 802. Please remember that your 999 call might well go to a communications centre where the officer you are reporting to might not have an intimate knowledge of Exmouth.
f. All logged incidents will be marked, after the incident, with a yellow highlighter pen.
ii. Incident Report Form – must be completed by the Watchkeeper/s as soon as possible after an incident has been concluded and certainly before they can go home. The practice of keeping notes will help materially assist in the speedy completion of this report. Such notes should be retained for easy verification of this report by the Station Manager (or Deputy).
Spot, Report, Plot & Report (update)
(a distress check routine)
Try to keep written “notes” at all times.
Spot
1. Note time, type/nature of the distress – any signals, etc
2. Make a note of the True bearing & estimated distance (try to make a guess).
3. Try to make a note of some description that will help identify those in distress. If a vessel, try to note its name/hull colour/type/ sail number, number of persons in distress who are visible.
4. Have a note ready of wind direction & force, etc, in case needed
Report
5. Telephone Coastguard. If distress is on the water, use the auto-dial button for HMCG Brixham (01803 – 882745).
6. This is Exmouth NCI lookout.
7. Briefly explain nature of distress (flare, etc) and time first noted.
8. Give TRUE bearing from Tower (your look-out position is: 50 degrees 36.8minutes NORTH; 03degrees 24.6minutes WEST) or OS National Grid Reference: SY 003 802
9. Report anything nearby (who may help or hinder rescue)
Plot
10. Quickly but carefully try to plot the True bearing and (estimated) distance and obtain a position. Write that Latitude & Longitude down, together with your other “Spot” notes.
Report (update)
11. If requested to do so, provide your estimated position of the casualty
12. If requested, advise Coastguard of current local weather conditions.
13. Continue observing and update Coastguard of any material situation changes.
14. Keep notes on all contact reports and details of your observations.
Spot, Report, Plot & Report - (a distress check list) - date____________
|
SPOT |
Time: Local Time
|
|
What? |
|
|
Brg & dist |
TRUE bearing: Estimated Distance:
|
|
Description. Number of Visible Persons? |
|
|
REPORT 1. To Who? |
|
|
PLOT |
|
|
Latitude |
|
|
Longitude |
|
|
Weather |
|
|
REPORT 1. To Who? |
|
|
2. Your ID |
THIS IS EXMOUTH NCI LOOKOUT |
|
3. Type |
Nature of distress:-
|
|
4. Brg |
True Bearing of casualty:-
from this Tower which is in position:- 50º 36.8’N; 03º 24.6’W Or OS National Grid Ref: SY 003 802 |
|
5. Others? |
|
|
6. Pos’n |
Position of casualty (if requested) is estimated at:-
|
|
7. Weather |
If requested, local weather conditions:-
|
|
8. Changes |
|
|
|
|
||
|
MCA Maritime and Coastguard Agency |
Memorandum of Understanding
between
The National Coastwatch Institution
and
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
for
THE REPORTING OF MARITIME INCIDENTS AND THE
NATIONAL OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR THE
NATIONAL COASTWATCH INSTITUTION
Change3
2-3
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE NATIONAL COASTWATCH INSTITUTION (NCI) AND THE MARITIME AND COASTGUARD AGENCY (MCA) FOR THE REPORTING OF MARITIME INCIDENTS TO HER MAJESTY'S COASTGUARD AND THE NATIONAL OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR THE NATIONAL COASTWATCH INSTITUTION.
Introduction
1. This Memorandum of Understanding is designed to put into place standards and practices concerning operating procedures between the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), in particular, HM Coastguard (HMCG).
2. The following provides a list of key objectives and sets out operating procedures for all NCI stations when exchanging information with any of HM Coastguard's Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres and Sub-Centres (MRCC/SCs), Sector Officers and Coastguard Rescue Teams.
Key Objectives
3. The key objectives of the Memorandum are to:
3.1 To improve co-operation between NCI stations and HMCG.
3.2 To provide for a timely exchange of accurate information prior to and during Search and Rescue (SAR) operation, which will include the monitoring of appropriate VHP Marine Band frequencies.
3.3 To improve understanding of each organisation's responsibilities, operating methods and structures.
Responsibilities
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency/HM Coastguard (MCA/HMCG)
4. By order of the Secretary of State for Transport laid before Parliament on 9 March 1992' Her Majesty's Coastguard is responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of all civil maritime search and rescue measures within the United Kingdom Search and Rescue Region (UKSRR). This includes the mobilisation, organisation and tasking of adequate resources to respond to persons either in distress at sea or to persons at risk of injury or death on the cliffs or shoreline of the United Kingdom.
Hansard 9 March 1992 pp 413-414
5. To this end HMCG can call upon and co-ordinate the activities of Declared and Additional SAR facilities (see paragraph 8 below) either of which may include NCI Coastwatch Lookout Stations.
6. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is also responsible for the implementation of HM Government's strategy for marine safety and the prevention of pollution from ships. This includes the development, promotion and enforcement of high standards of marine safety and responsibility to minimise the risk of pollution from ships.
National Coastwatch Institution
7. The National Coastwatch Institution has undertaken a voluntary role lo provide a network of volunteer Coastal Lookout Stations around the shores of the United Kingdom based on a developing expansion plan as defined in the NCI Constitution.
Declared and Additional Facilities
Declared Facilities
8. Declared facilities are facilities that have been designated as being
available for civil maritime SAR according to specific standards, or set criteria. For the purpose of this MOD the Authority which agrees these standards is the HM Coastguard regarding the standards of training, for NCI personnel. Each authority declaring a facility is responsible for:
8.1 Defining and declaring the standard of capability and availability of each facility.
8.2 Maintaining each facility to the declared standard.
8.3 Informing HMCG immediately, whenever there is any change in the declared standard or availability of each facility.
8.4 Informing HMCG of any reason for not making available any declared facility which has been requested by HMCG.
Additional Facilities
9. Additional facilities are facilities which may be available from time to time, but not to any specific standard or criteria.
Criteria for Declared Facility Status
10. NCI Coastal Lookout stations will be considered by HMCG for Declared Facility status if they conform to the operational guidelines laid down in NCI's National Operations Manual and training policy as agreed by the Maritime and
Coastguard Agency, and have completed an operational trial period during which the following criteria has been met:
10.1 Each Lookout has developed and made available to HMCG written operating procedures which include a full Normal Operating policy and an incident-Emergency Action Plan.
10.2 The Lookout has developed a HMCG/NCI agreed training programme for all Lookout watchkeepers.
10.3 The Lookout is licensed by the Radiocomrnunicalions Agency of the Department of Trade and Industry to operate radar equipment, when fitted, and that all operators have been trained and examined to the required level of competency.
10.4 The Lookout has authorisation from the Radiocommunicaliuns Agency (RA) of the Department of Trade and Industry to operate, where fitted, VHF Marine Band Radiotelephone equipment in Receive mode and where licensed by the RA and agreed by HMCG in the Transmit mode.
10.5 Where a NCI lookout has been authorised to fit VHF Channel 0 as an alternative means of contacting HM Coastguard, all operators at that station will have been trained and examined to the required level of competency.
10.6 Precise core watchkceping times are lo be notified to the appropriate MRCC/SC; and
10.7 A system is in place at the Lookout for the maintenance of clear and concise incident records, which should be made available to HMCG when called for.
11. When the above criteria have been met and the NCI Lookout station
considers itself ready for Declared Facility Status, the accredited NCI inspection team should be contacted and a "Readiness for DFS" inspection should take place. If this inspection meets the required standard the Chief Coastguard should be advised that DF Status is appropriate. The Chief Coastguard will then issue the appropriate certification lo the relevant District Controller and NCI Station Controller.
Standard Operating Procedures
National Coastwatch Institution
12. As part of its routine operation, NCI undertakes to declare to HMCG the location of all operational Coastal Lookout Stations, their level of equipment, and their core operating hours. Lookouts are to report to the relevant Coastguard Co-ordination Centre via telephone or in some cases VHF Channel 0:
12.1 Any occurrence which involves or may involve coastal or offshore SAK.
12.2 Any distress signal observed at sea.
12.3 Dependent on sections 3.2, 10.4 and 10.5, any Distress, Urgency or Safety signal intercepted on VHF or MF radio, where it is clear, or appears, or seems, that no response has been made.
12.4 Any persons apparently cut off by the tide, or stranded on cliffs.
12.5 Any occasion upon which there is concern for craft or persons overdue or missing at sea or on the shore.
12.6 Any occurrence at which SAR resources are considered necessary.
12.7 Any suspicious objects sighted on the shoreline.
12.8 Any significant changes in weather or sea conditions.
12.9 Any radar information, where filled, that may be requested by HMCG, or grounds for concern regarding the safely of any persons or vessels at sea.
12.10 Any reports or a visual sighting of any marine pollution, including any visible discharges from a vessel at sea.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, HM Coastguard
13. HMCG is to:
13.1 Decide upon what SAR facilities will be called upon to deal with any incident reported to them and co-ordinate all effort.
13.2 Inform other Agencies as may be necessary during the course of the incident; and
13.3 Provide the reporting National Coastwatch lookout with copies of all incident reports involving that National Coastwatch Lookout Station.
14. The MCA will advise on the appropriate levels of radar and radio operator training and certification.
Indemnity and Liability
15. In all cases indemnity and liability for the NCI's Lookout rest with the NCI, and not with MCA/HMCG. The decision to undertake any task requested by HMCG also rests with the Lookout concerned.
Costs
16. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the National Coastwatch Institution involved in any joint activity under the terms of this Memorandum will bear its own costs. No organisation will be liable for any of the others' costs, including those required to equip and train to the level required by this MOU.
Review
17. Each organisation shall appoint a Liaison Officer, who will meet with each other on an as required basis to:
17.1 Review operational experience.
17.2 Confirm to the NCI those Lookouts granted Declared Facility status.
17.3 Review this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
18. There will be an annual meeting of the Trustees of NCI with the Chief Coastguard as agreed with HMCG at the meeting on 5 October 2000.
|
|
|
|
|
Signed |
For and on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency
|
||
|
For and on behalf
of the National Coastwatch Institution
|
Date |
Date |
Note:- The signed original of this document is with the Station Manager.