Lough Derg RNLI have congratulated volunteer Deirdre Gleeson on her successful completion of her Tier 2 pass-out last Tuesday evening (21 July), officially qualifying her as a member of the lifeboat crew.
Deirdre has worked incredibly hard for the achievement over the past number of months, putting in many hours of classroom and afloat training, building the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for her Tier 2 assessment, and now all that hard work has been rewarded.
Before heading afloat for her practical assessment, Deirdre completed her theory assessment ashore with coastal lifeboat trainer Lenny Fourie, covering everything from risk assessment and the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (IRPCS) to buoyage and elements of navigation.
Once afloat, Deirdre was assessed in a range of essential skills, including helming the lifeboat, anchoring and veering, using RADAR, recovering a person from the water and carrying out other emergency procedures.
Deirdre is a nurse practitioner in emergency medicine, and her experience in dealing with people in challenging and often unpredictable situations is a valuable skill she brings to the Lough Derg RNLI crew.
A Tier 2 pass-out is a significant milestone in a crew member's RNLI training journey. As part of the RNLI Operational Competency Framework (OCF), pass-outs provide volunteers with a structured pathway to develop their skills and progress through roles, from crew member towards navigator and ultimately helm.
Following her successful pass-out, Deirdre said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have successfully passed my Tier 2 RNLI assessment. Joining the RNLI has given me fantastic skills, confidence and a real sense of community, and I’m proud to be part of such an excellent and supportive team.
“A huge thank you to all the crew members of Lough Derg RNLI Station who helped pull me through the training and encouraged me every step of the way.”
Roger Jones, lifeboat training coordinator at Lough Derg RNLI congratulated Deirdre, saying: “She gives so much of her spare time training and on exercises. We wish her well on her journey to become a navigator.”
