Lerwick Coxswain to Take Part in Maritime Rescue Exchange in Oslo

The week-long programme of activities will be hosted by the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue, or Redningsselskapet in Norwegian, commonly shortened to “RS” – a Norwegian charity, equivalent to the RNLI.

Darren is the only UK representative taking part in this exchange and will spend the week with six other individuals involved in search and rescue at sea, from Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Holland and Sweden.

The programme of activities includes visits to RS rescue stations and familiarisation with RS lifeboats and other rescue craft. The week also includes sea survival training in a pool, helicopter operations, and time on a training simulator for high-speed craft. The representatives will undertake joint search and rescue exercises throughout the week, and each deliver presentations on search and rescue operations in their home countries.

Deputy 2^nd Coxswain Tommy Goudie will over the Coxswain’s duties in Darren’s absence.

Darren Harcus, Coxswain of Lerwick Lifeboat said –“I’m looking forward to finding out more about the work of the RS in Norway, a charity with similar aims to the RNLI, and to learn about their rescue operations. It’s going to be a fantastic opportunity to share knowledge with Norwegian colleagues alongside other representatives who work in sea search and rescue across Europe.”

Notes

The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF),in association with various IMRF Members, organises a yearly Exchange Programme for lifeboat crew from several European maritime sea rescue institutes, to share knowledge and to learn from each other.

The Redningsselskapet, the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue, is a nationwide humanitarian association whose purpose is to save lives, salvage assets and protect the coastal environment of Norwegian waters, as well as undertaking outreach and accident prevention initiatives to improve the safety of those at sea in Norway and abroad. www.redningsselskapet.no/english/

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The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 238 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 240 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.

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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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