This week we are speaking with Suekie Stannard who volunteers with the Holbrook Coastguard Rescue Team that operate from Woolverstone Marina.

Why are you called "Holbrook Coastguard" if you are based in Wolverstone?

Many years ago the team was based in Holbook, but HM Coastguard tends to prefer to retain call signs so it is nowadays quite commonplace for the station to be no longer where it used to be

Tell us a little about the team

Local knowledge and availability are key to a successful Coastguard Rescue Team so our team members live on the Shotley peninsula.  There is no fixed demographic for a Coastguard Rescue Officer.  

We currently have nine members and surprisingly large number of them have professions beginning with 'P' – we have a plumber, a professor, a pilot, a publican, a project manager, a paramedic (that's me) and then a couple of professions from the other letters of the alphabet, a magistrate, a software engineer and a sailmaker.   

Do you need to have maritime qualifications?

No. The Holbrook team is a little unusual in that we have a professional mariner and a number of people with nautical qualifications, but no, the main requirements are that you are fit and healthy, a good communicator and you can make yourself available?

Tell us about yourself, how did you get started as a Coastguard?

Being born on the peninsula I was always aware of the local Coastguard rescue team and the work they have done for the community.

I joined at the age of 18 as I wanted to gain experience to join the ambulance service. Very soon after joining, the Coastguard became something I loved for what it was, and not for a means to get somewhere.

I've now been a volunteer for 10 years. I have also since become a Paramedic but enjoy working with and spending time with my Coastguard team when not on duty in my full-time job. It is a unique role which I feel privileged to be a part of.

The team is close-knit, very supportive of each other and morale is high which is what makes it so enjoyable.

Joining as the 'baby' in the group, I was always encouraged to be the best I could be and the whole team believed in my ability which boosted my confidence in all areas of my life. 

Don't you need to be very heroic to be a Coastguard?

Not at all.  Our training emphasises the importance of not being heroic.  In the best rescues, we were able to really assist people in the most desperate of situations without putting ourselves in any danger at all.   

Have you had any memorable rescues?

There are certainly a handful of rescues over the past 10 years that will stay with me forever.

The one that stands out among the rest involved rescuing four children who had got into difficulty in the mud.

The tide was incoming. It was night-time.  The access was challenging and essential for us to keep emotions tucked away until the rescue had been completed, so that it could be as precise as it needed to be.

It was a very successful multi-agency rescue, lead by the Coastguard and one which was a relief to complete successfully and a joy to reunite the children to their parents. 

It is always rewarding, however, to help anyone in need when they call the Coastguard.  

Do you need more volunteers?

Yes.  You will need to be able to commit the time – Holbrook had around 80 call-outs, or "shouts" last year.  A typical shout lasts around three hours, and the summer is our busiest period. 

Coastguard Rescue Officers need not attend every shout but certainly in your first few years, it's a good idea to attend as many as possible to build experience. Plus there is training which surely accounts for another 100 hours per year.  

Most Coastguard Rescue Teams have excellent night-time availability so volunteers with the flexibility to attend during the daytime are particularly valued. 

You can find out more about what we do here: https://hmcoastguard.uk where there is also form where you can apply.  The whole joining process takes around six months.  

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of joining?

Go for it. But be realistic – the team needs people who can be available.  

We are taxpayer funded organisation so equipping someone with thousands of pounds worth of equipment and training, for them to not turn-out is not acceptable. But, if you can commit, then I can honestly say it has been the most rewarding experience and of course I've made lifelong friends.