Whitby RNLI hold multi-agency training session with young rowers.
A cold-water shock exercise and safety training was delivered by Whitby RNLI and the local rowing clubs this evening (Friday 7 June)
The session began with a safety talk delivered in the lifeboat station. The young rowers were given advice on what to do should they get into difficulty in the water and were also given waterproof mobile phone bags, to enable them to call for help while out on the water.
The second half of the session was a practical exercise where the rowers were capsized from their boats, they were then given practical tips for dealing with the exposure to the water to prevent cold water shock such as taking slow, deep breaths.
Whitby RNLI's station mechanic Richard Dowson said: 'There's no better way to educate these young people who spend many hours at sea than to let them experience how it really feels to end up in the water.
These young people are growing up on the coast and the more people we can educate about safety on the coast the better. They were all enthusiastic about the session and reacted fantastically when we capsized their boats.
Thank you to Whitby Coastguard crew who helped us deliver the session. It was a fantastic opportunity to forge relationships between the two rescue teams and the local rowers.
For more information contact Lifeboat Press Officer Ceri Oakes on 07813359428 or at [email protected]
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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