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Burnham-on-Sea RNLI volunteers take part in lifejacket training

Lifeboats News Release

Seizing the opportunity of available lifejackets going away for service, which coincided with a need for crews to experience practical lifejacket training, a session was booked on Sunday 13 October at Burnham-on-Sea swimming pool.

Lifejacket servicing at the pool

RNLI/Mike Lang

Lifejacket servicing at the pool

Various situations were experienced, including checking, packing, and changing CO2 cylinders, plus learning how to swim efficiently in a fully inflated lifejacket.

Training coordinator Nathan Meager explains; ‘As part of our RNLI assessments to be lifeboat crew, we have to show competence in a number of drills in the sea survival centre at the RNLI’s HQ every 5 years.

These drills include jumping into the pool from height with full Personal Protection Equipment, swimming in an inflated lifejacket, demonstrating use of lifejacket and spray hood, self recovery, use of life rafts and assisting others in difficulty. All this is done with waves, water being sprayed at you and the sounds of a storm.

Sunday’s session was preparation for this, as we have a number of crew going to the college over the next few months. It was also a chance for non boat crew to experience lifejacket use and what it is like to swim in their kit. The session was a great team building activity and it takes a team to make training like this happen. I would like to thank the local RNLI training team and also Burnham Swim and Sports Academy for being so accommodating and hosting us.’

Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Mike Lang updates; ‘It was a few days after the session, we learned that pool Manager Rob Langley had decreed that he was always happy to support the work of the RNLI as it is such a great organisation, and that the session was at no cost to the charity.’

RNLI Lifeboats at Burnham-on-Sea

A 8.5m Atlantic 85 named Doris Day and Brian plus a smaller 4.95m D class IB1 inflatable named Burnham Reach The station was opened officially on 15th May 2004, but has been operational since December 2003

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact Mike Lang, volunteer lifeboat press officer at Burnham-on-Sea Lifeboat Station on 07889 815860 or Emma Haines, Regional Communications Manager, on 07786 668847 or [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789


Group training discussion, in the pool

RNLI/Mike Lang

Group training discussion, in the pool
Use of inflated lifejacket with the spray hood

RNLI/Mike Lang

Use of inflated lifejacket with the spray hood
Learning how to place a person in a flexible casualty stretcher

RNLI/Mike Lang

Learning how to place a person in a flexible casualty stretcher
More discussion of the rescue stretcher in use

RNLI/Mike Lang

More discussion of the rescue stretcher in use

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.