Specialist training facilities

The Lifeboat College Sea Survival Centre offers outstanding training facilities that realistically simulate the most challenging of environments where crew can be trained in a safe and supervised way. The centre is equipped with:

a wave pool - capable of generating waves of around 1.5m high to simulate rough water conditions. Sound, light, wind, and rain effects are used to create realistic and challenging environmental conditions. A blackout facility recreates night conditions. The pool is used for capsize drills, sea survival and first aid courses and Beach Lifeguard training.

a fire simulator - equipped to simulate an engine room fire, complete with flooding facility. This simulator is key to developing fire prevention, fire fighting skills and developing team skills in pressurised, emergency situations.

a full mission bridge simulator - providing an essential part of many all weather lifeboat courses. The simulated conditions allow crew to experience live search and rescue situations at sea, in a managed and realistic environment. Exercise scenarios require crew to coordinate activities with other rescue authorities and rescue craft in an assessment situation, under pressure. Simulator exercises average 90 minutes, involving scenarios such as man overboard, missing craft, sinkings or groundings. All training within the simulator is styled on recent, real life situations around the UK and Republic of Ireland coast.

a live engine workshop - supporting a range of approved, technical training courses for lifeboat mechanics. Technical training experts support hands-on technical courses, working with a range of specialist engine types used in RNLI lifeboats.