A lifeboat crew member at Burnham-On-Sea RNLI has had a vital part of his crew training funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation.
Dan Fear, from Burnham-On-Sea, recently travelled to the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset, where he completed a crew emergency procedures training course.
A key part of the course is the sea survival element, which enables new volunteer crew to be trained in a variety of crucial subjects including how to ‘abandon ship’ with a 4m jump into water, plus team survival swimming.
The course also covered coping in a liferaft in simulated darkness, dealing with fires onboard lifeboats, and righting a capsized inshore lifeboat, plus the importance of lifejackets.
The training was held in the Sea Survival Centre, which includes a 25m wave-generating survival tank.
The training was funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a UK registered charity that connects science, safety and society by supporting quality research and promoting skills and education.
The Foundation is funding the sea survival element of RNLI’s Crew Emergency Procedures courses for a second five year period from January 2016 to December 2020.
This additional funding of £1.06 million will bring their total support for RNLI crew training to just over £2.46 million.
Dan, who is a probationary crewmember, said: “This is a fantastic course, and although fun, was also challenging, and great value.”
Dan, who was inspired to join up as a crewmember because of a keen interest in water-skiing, has since put his training to use by also helping others in their regular weekly training sessions.
Matt Davies, Burnham RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, said: “The support given by Lloyd’s Register Foundation is hugely important to the RNLI.”
“We are extremely grateful the Foundation has chosen to continue to fund sea survival training, which teaches essential core skills to our volunteer crew.”
“This training is vital to help keep volunteers as safe as possible while on rescues.”
“It equips volunteers with sea survival skills and provides them with the courage, poise and self-confidence to save lives even in the most perilous seas.”
This donation is the latest in Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s relationship with the RNLI, which was recognised in 2010 when it received the Group Supporter Award from HRH Prince Michael of Kent in recognition of its valuable support of the charity.
Pictured: Burnham-On-Sea crewman Dan Fear training (photos: Ian Brown)
