Interviews with Local Partners – Kerry Jury, Swanage Coastguard

Kerry Jury has been a part of the Coastguard Rescue Service for 8 years, and in her role of Master Trainer for ropes courses she advises Cumulus and runs training courses. Here she provides an insight into her experiences.

What is the role of a Coastguard? What do you do and when do you do it? 

The Coastguard are the coordinators of Maritime Search and Rescue within the UK. The Coastguard have their own Rescue Teams and carry out a range of rescues including water, search, mud, rope, and first aid. Coastguards also carry out routine patrols for incident and accident prevention. We are on call 24/7, 365 days a year.

How long have you been a Coastguard and what does it mean to you?

I have been part of the team since 2013, so 8 years now, which has flown by! I love the work we do as Coastguards and we work very closely as a team. We train regularly together, in all weather, and we put a vast amount of trust in each other when we attend incidents, particularly Rope Rescue incidents.

What is the most challenging part of your role?

For me personally, the two most challenging parts of the role are dealing with searches or incidents involving children and the emotions involved with that, and any form of body recovery. I try to see that part of what we do is bringing people home to their families, though it never gets easier. Within our team we are never expected to do something we are uncomfortable with; we can always choose to step back from a particular incident or part of an incident and there is no judgement from team members in that situation, just support.

What is the most enjoyable part of your role?

Working as part of a team whether it is training or incident working – you go through so much together. Also Rope Rescue training.  Considering how many people climb locally we rarely get called to Rope incidents (though it is the skill we practice the most) as I think the climbing community help each other out when they can, but when we do it is good to be able to go and use our technical skills to help those in need.

How does someone get qualified as a Coastguard and how long does it take?

Training never stops within the Coastguard Rescue Service (CRS). From the initial 11 days of skills training at the start of becoming a Coastguard Rescue Officer (CRO), to returning to their teams to build on skills learnt with real incidents and continuous training. It takes around two years to become proficient.

Training is then ongoing – we practice within the team and have training/assessments with full time officers. I am trained in first aid, water, search, Rope Rescue Technician and Officer in Charge (OIC, which means I can run incidents) within the Swanage Team. I attend around 100 incidents a year – a mix of technical rescues, searches and medical incidents.

Lastly tell us about you, what do you get up to when you’re not Coastguard-ing?

When I am not Coastguarding, I am a busy working mum with two teenage sons.  I run my own first aid training company called Venture First Aid Training. I also regularly freelance for a company called Vertex Instructor Training running ropes course training throughout Europe. I work for the ERCA (European Ropes Course Association) as a Master Trainer, and freelance for local Outdoor Centres such as Cumulus.  I love getting out on my Mountain bike with my sons, Paddleboarding, walking my dog and when we can, get away for holidays in the mountains.