LIFERAFT OPERATIONS

When things go badly wrong on board ship, launching a liferaft is the last resort. It can be the difference between survival or death. So it is essential that the crew should know what sort of liferafts they have on board, how to launch them, how to board them in an emergency, and how to help others who may be injured, exhausted or unconscious.

This programme shows the correct methods and procedures to be used with both davit launched and throw-over liferafts. The video explains the operation of the hydrostatic release mechanism, the use of the painter line, the procedure for boarding from the deck or from a rope ladder, and what to do when jumping is the only option.

Righting a raft when it has not inflated the correct way up is demonstrated, as is the way to board the raft from the water. The video also indicates the need for routine onboard inspection and maintenance. The instructional scenes are intercut with footage from a real emergency on board a burning fishing boat, which shows that even when extreme weather conditions make launching and boarding the raft very difficult, a well trained crew can survive through effective use of the liferaft.