Who gives the command to release the falls in a lifeboat drill?

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In lifeboat drills, the person responsible for launching and steering the lifeboat issues the release order for the falls. That role is the coxswain. The coxswain is in charge of the lifeboat itself, directing its crew, and giving the commands to lower and release the boat safely into the water. While the captain has overall command of the vessel, the actual lifeboat launch duties—especially the release of the falls—are handled by the coxswain to ensure proper procedure and safety. The boatswain oversees deck operations and rigging but does not issue the lifeboat’s release command, and the engineer is focused on machinery and systems rather than lifeboat launch. So the command to release the falls comes from the person in charge of the lifeboat—the coxswain.