Happy New Gear!

Major advancement in lifesaving technology launched from Loch Ness.

Volunteer crew at Loch Ness RNLI lifeboat station are delighted to be the first in the UK to have been issued with the new design of lifejacket.

Incorporating the latest material technology, the new lifejackets have been designed in collaboration with the RNLI and the manufacturer Crewsaver, specifically to meet the charity’s requirements.

The cost of the new lifesaving equipment at Loch Ness has already been offset by a substantial donation from a family who were rescued in 2011.

A far cry from the cork lifejackets invented by RNLI Inspector Captain Ward in 1854, the new ones are fitted with water-activated emergency lights and pockets for day and night distress flares.

They will provide a comfortable, secure fit, leading to increased efficiency and effectiveness in lifesaving.

Crotch straps prevent the lifejacket riding up over the head when in the water, and an integrated harness, designed to pull the lifejacket away from the wearer’s neck, allows greater freedom of movement during rescues.

All 45 lifeboat stations in Scotland are due to receive the innovative lifejackets in the coming months.
The Scottish roll out will be followed by a programme that will see every RNLI station in the UK and RoI having the new lifejackets in 2012.

The lifejacket has zipped pockets for casualty care kit, torches, gloves or knives, and a spray hood to protect against water spray.

More than £100,000 is required for the lifejackets in Scotland and the RNLI is appealing to help from the public in raising the sum.

The charity's annual SOS day is on 27th January when the public will hold a variety of fundraising events and this year the RNLI supporters are targeting their efforts towards buying the new lifejackets.

It will cost between £2,000 and £4,500 at the majority of the RNLI’s stations in Scotland to equip the volunteers with the new lifejackets. The exact figure depends on operational requirements.

RNLI lifejackets through time

Cork – In 1854 an RNLI inspector called Captain Ward invented a cork lifejacket. Narrow strips of cork were sewn onto a canvas vest, so the lifejacket was flexible enough to move with the body. In 1861, when one of Whitby’s lifeboats capsized on a service, just one crew member survived. Henry Freeman was the only one wearing a cork lifejacket, and went on to become Coxswain at Whitby

Kapok – In 1904, the kapok lifejacket was introduced. Kapok is a vegetable fibre that doesn’t absorb water and is much more buoyant than cork. The first kapok lifejackets proved unpopular due to their bulk, but improvements were made and they became the standard for nearly 70 years

Beaufort – The Beaufort lifejacket was introduced to the RNLI in 1970, after the development of synthetic foams in the 1960s. Extra buoyancy around the neck made sure that the crew member would float face upwards in the water should he or she be knocked unconscious. But one disadvantage was its bulk, which often made it difficult to move around the wheelhouses of the latest classes of lifeboat

Modern lifejackets – Today’s RNLI crew members wear lifejackets developed in the 1990s for maximum comfort and safety. There are two styles – one for use on allweather lifeboats and one for use on inshore lifeboats

RNLI online For more information on the RNLI please visit www.rnli.org.uk. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI Press Centre www.rnli.org.uk/press

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 over 230 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and has more than 100 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK. 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 138,000 lives.

A charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SCO37736).
Charity number CHY 2678 in the Republic of Ireland.

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