Boarding a life raft and getting evacuated by a helicopter – sounds fun, right? A reporter from Partio-magazine participated in a Survival Course for Ship Passangers together with Helsingfors Svenska Scouter. The course was organized by Maritime Safety Training Centre in Lohja. The participants got a chance to practice maritime rescue skills in nearly authentic conditions and to conquer themselves.
A life raft can also be boarded by climbing a rope or a ladder. This requires good physical condition.
Before diving into the pool, the participants practiced a heat escape lessening position, which reduces heat loss by keeping the groin and armpits warm. At the end of the course, the scouts had a chance to test the effect of the position in a small pool where the temperature was only 5 degrees Celsius. During the course the participants wore cotton jumpsuits, gumshoes and life vests.
A scout is always prepared – to step into a life raft, for example. The participants had a chance to rescue themselves into several different kinds of life rafts. The one in the picture has an evacuation chute that the participants tried.
Lisa Gerkman asking for additional instructions from instructor Mika Lappi.
Unconscious is been transported under her chin. Maritime Safety Training Centre has a big indoor pool, where the course took place. The pool is four metres deep and with special machinery there can be made one metre high waves. Wind machine and sound effects makes the pool feel like real sea!
”I was do nervous when we were told to jump and somebody next to me asked how high it was” The jump was made from 4,5 metres.
The first in safe raft stays on the edge to help others to get in. The waves won´t make it easy!