New kit for RNLI Jersey crew
RNLI Jersey have taken delivery of brand new Helly Hansen crew clothing for the all-weather lifeboat crew at St Helier.
The new kit, costing around £1,500 per crew member, is lighter and more comfortable and allows much greater freedom of movement than the previous all-weather kit which was developed 25 years ago. The new kit consists of a layering system using state of the art Helly Tech fabrics to remain both very light and very strong, while keeping crew members warm and dry at all times. It Is also the first lifeboat kit to be specifically tailored, with different designs for men and women.
The RNLI recently announced a strategic partnership with Helly Hansen which included the provision of all new all-weather lifeboat kit for crew. After a rigorous selection process for the new supplier, followed by an extensive consultation with lifeboat crews, the new kit is now being rolled out across the RNLI network and RNLI Jersey's St Helier station was one of the first in the UK to receive the new clothing.
Nigel Sweeny, Lifeboat Operations Manager, said:
"The waters and weather around Jersey are as unpredictable as they are beautiful, and being properly kitted up is essential to our volunteer crew so they can concentrate on the task at hand – saving lives at sea - without having to worry whether their clothing is going hinder them in any way".
Note to Editors:
For more information on the new kit and how it was developed please visit this link: https://rnli.org/magazine/magazine-featured-list/2018/september/crew-kit-gearing-up
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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