Coastguard putting passion to good use

Friday, 15 June 2018

Neville Shields says that being part of Coastguard is an intense commitment but the satisfaction of making a difference makes it worth it.

As part of the Nelson Coastguard's campaign for a replacement vessel we're running a series of profiles on the service's dedicated volunteers. Neville Shields is one of the skippers with Coastguard Nelson.

How long have you been involved with Coastguard and what got you interested in joining?

Back in 2010 I initially joined Coastguard as a volunteer, as I wanted to pass on some of the knowledge I have gained from commercial fishing with my father in Northern Ireland from a very young age, to now running my own marine engineering company and everything in between. Volunteering for coastguard allowed me to put my passion to good use by being able to help someone out when they need it the most, which is enormously satisfying.

What is your role within Coastguard?

I'm one of the four Coastguard Nelson skippers. Simply put being the skipper of the vessel means that I oversee everything that happens aboard our coastguard rescue vessel when it departs the wharf and am required by maritime law to keep the crew and vessel safe.

When we are out on search and rescue missions, I could be doing anything from being the On-Scene Coordinator liaising with the Incident Management Team back at base and the rescue assets on scene, assisting with the planning and implementation of the search techniques, and making sure the crew are working to the best of their abilities to accomplish the rescue.

What do you enjoy the most about being involved with Coastguard?

The friendship and the camaraderie that is continually built up on throughout the unit. When we go out to a rescue, it is usually a fairly full-on and stressful situation to be in, so when you're working with people who you know well and are good mates with it makes completing the job a lot easier, because you know the next guy has got your back.

Tell me about a rescue or an operation that sticks in your memory?

Two fishermen that we rescued last year, who we found clinging to their up-turned dinghy late at night, after spending hours helplessly holding on for dear life, that is one that sticks in my mind. When I eventually spotted them on the radar, I told the helm to turn to port and next thing we knew exactly that's where they were. Seeing the relief on their faces when we found them, and the guys continuingly thanking us for picking them up and saving their lives, as it would have been highly unlikely they would have made it to the next morning. It's the one good rescue that gets you through all the crappy ones.

What advice would you give anyone thinking of getting involved with Coastguard?

Be prepared to put your heart and soul into it. We train twice a week, plus over the busy summer period we could have up to 3 callouts in a single day, so there can be a serious amount of time involved with being a Coastguard volunteer, it's an immense commitment if you want to do it properly, but the personal satisfaction of making a difference in saving someone's life makes it well worth it.