It was yet another landmark moment for the IMRF as it held its second-ever #WomenInSAR training course as part of the organisation’s ongoing campaign to raise the representation of women in the maritime sector and to provide support for, and raise the profile of, women in the maritime SAR sector specifically. 

Following the success of the IMRF’s first #WomenInSAR event, which was held in August 2022, demand was high for another exclusive event that enables female members of the IMRF community to engage in bespoke training and workshop events, as well as learn and collaborate with other female SAR professionals.

This year’s event was once again held in conjunction with the Finnish Lifeboat Institution (FLBI) and took place at the Bågaskär training centre from 23-25 August.

Members of the IMRF community gathered from around the world for the three-day event. A total of 16 women representing 10 SAR organisations from 10 countries, including Ascension Island, Australia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, took part, representing both volunteer and government organisations. In addition, there were 23 crew members, instructors and other personnel from FLBI who made the entire event possible.

The training event once again gave participants the opportunity to learn practical and real-life operational skills, delivered by experts at the FLBI. It included live exercises on board various types of rescue boats, simulated exercises on improving communication and decision-making skills, and talks on understanding crew welfare, operating safely, and how to be a leader in a SAR unit.

The opening day included a live exercise training that gave participants the opportunity to practice in rescue cruisers, auxiliary boats and different types of lifeboats. Crucially, the session gave participants the opportunity to navigate the challenging waters between Bågaskär and Helsinki, which is made more difficult by the numerous islands off the coast of Finland.

The second day included theory workshops covering leadership skills and crew resource management. This was followed by more live exercises and training sessions aboard rescue cruisers and lifeboats.

The final day once again covered a number of theory workshops, which included organised operations and crew welfare. The weekend also included multiple shared experience sessions, giving participants the chance to share their stories and offer guidance to other women in maritime SAR in an open and honest forum.

The entire event also included a number of recreational activities, including morning swimming, saunas, and networking meals, giving participants the chance to relax and enjoy the experience that much more.

Highlighting her experience, Caron Parfitt, a participant from Marine Rescue New South Wales in Australia, said, “The Women in SAR training event was excellent. It was well organised and provided a huge opportunity to learn and share ideas with women from other countries.”

The #WomenInSAR training event also gave participants an opportunity to create connections between like-minded individuals that face similar and difficult challenges as women in maritime SAR. This sentiment was echoed by Melita Buchan from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in the United Kingdom, who stated, “I belonged to One Crew at my station. I now belong to an International One Crew.”

Likewise, Anna Sjöberg from the Swedish Sea Rescue Society said, “It was amazing to meet other very competent women in SAR. I think the summary of it all is ‘Yes We Can’!”

Sarah Psaila from Coastguard New Zealand highlighted her experience, talking about the importance of bringing people of the same mind together and putting them in unique experiences that can take them out of their comfort zones.

“Even though we came from 10 different countries and were separated by oceans, rivers, and lakes, we discovered how water actually connects us. We realised that despite our different approaches, we’re all driven by the same goal: to help people and save lives. The way we collaborated across cultures was truly inspiring. We all brought unique perspectives and skills to the table, shared stories in a supportive environment, and made lifelong friendships. It was a real challenge - training on unfamiliar boats with new crews in a new area pushed us out of our comfort zones, but what a ride it was! Just a huge thank you to everyone involved,” she noted.

Laura Shearer from Ascension Island Sea and Land Rescue, noted the importance of having dedicated, experienced and professional people in maritime SAR, regardless of gender. "No-one wants to find themselves in an emergency situation but it's reassuring to know these amazingly skilled women are there if you ever needed any help!"

Speaking about the event, Jaakko Heikkilä, the IMRF’s International Programme Manager, said, “We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone that made this event possible. From the team at FLBI to all of the participants, some of whom flew half way around the world to be here. It was another exciting and worthwhile event that enabled the maritime SAR community to learn from one another and provide opportunities to those that may not often get the chance to experience.

“The IMRF’s #WomenInSAR campaign continues to push for the maritime SAR industry to make itself more inclusive to women. Events like these, as well as the IMRF’s other events such as our #WomenInSAR mentoring programme, open a lot of doors for women in our industry to make bold new steps in their career. We are proud of the work we are doing to make maritime SAR an inclusive and exciting career for women,” he added.

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The IMRF’s #WomenInSAR Initiative, which launched in June 2019, has spent the past five years developing key resources and guidelines that can be used in any SAR organisation. Click here to learn more about the initiative.