Online Sea Safety Resources
Education is one of the most effective tools to reduce death by drowning. Teaching technical SAR, medical, and boating skills are crucial educational components, as is encouraging preventative water safety practices and respectful ways to engage with the ocean environment.
Many of the organisations we respect are creating excellent sea safety content for a variety of audiences. We are happy to share some of their resources here, along with our own small library of lectures, panel discussions, and tutorials in English and Japanese.
Atlantic Pacific online resources & events
APTV Report Series
Started in the COVID-19 pandemic, this discussion series provides a space for experts from allied humanitarian sectors to share knowledge, spark conversations, troubleshoot obstacles, and to contribute to sustainable solutions and solidarity in SAR and drowning prevention.
APTV Report #1 –
David Whiddon
Focused on the worldwide crisis of drowning which claims approximately 320,000 lives annually, this is a deep dive into the RNLI's international drowning prevention work to tackle this issue at a global level.
APTV Report #2 –
Hannah Entwistle Chapuisat
International law and policy related to forced displacement, disasters and climate change, including a presentation of DISPLACEMENT: Uncertain Journeys, which brings contemporary art into intergovernmental conferences on displacement.
APTV Report #3 –
Pia Klemp COMING SOON
An overview of how the humanitarian situation has developed on the Mediterranean, including throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as how ocean rescue is increasingly becoming politicised and criminalised.
AP’s Founder Robin Jenkins on UWC Unlocked Talks
Discussing AP’s experience as a crew provider to other NGOs working in the Mediterranean and how vulnerable people on the borders of Southern Europe are being ignored.
Ropes & Knots Tutorial
w. Japanese subtitles
Guidelines for handling ropes on board a boat, as well as a tutorial of 5 essential knots used in all boating situations.
日本語字幕付き
Rules of Sea Safety - Japanese
海の安全のルール
Animated sea safety video and colouring book for children in Japanese.
日本語で書かれたアニメーションの海の安全ビデオと子供向けの塗り絵。
Ocean Plastics - Japanese
海洋プラスチック
Animated video for children in Japanese about reducing ocean plastics.
海洋プラスチック削減をテーマにした子供向けのアニメーションビデオ。
Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)
Large variety of open-source materials available from the RNLI
The RNLI works with partners in low-resource areas, helping them to set up rescue and prevention services. With these partners they have developed a series of free, open-source materials to help others do the same. Available in many languages and designed for any skill level, you can access the full library here. These resources are covered by a non-commercial creative commons licence.
Aquatic Survival:
Self-Survival and Rescue Manual
Important water safety education and basic self-survival and rescue skills.
Geared towards young people living in low-resource areas with limited or no access to existing drowning prevention initiatives.
Maritime
Search and Rescue Manual
A resource containing essential skills, knowledge and guidance for those operating in a maritime environment.
Designed for organisations based in areas with limited access to equipment.
Flood Safety
Manual
Contains essential skills, knowledge and guidance for those operating in a flood environment.
The resource is designed for organisations based in areas with limited access to equipment.
Community First Aid Manual
Helping equip people with the skills and knowledge to provide basic first aid in the community.
Designed for organisations based in low-resource areas with limited access to equipment.
World Health Organisation (WHO)
Reports on drowning as a global health crisis & tools for prevention
The WHO lists drowning as the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, estimating that 236 000 people die by drowning every year. These estimates may significantly underestimate the actual public health problem of drowning because such data is difficult to gather. Data on drowning can be found on the WHO’s website, as well tools for prevention targeted at individuals, organisations, and states.
An overview of World Drowning Prevention Day and how to participate can be found here.
WHO Global Report on Drowning: Preventing a Leading Killer
This report provides current knowledge about drowning and drowning prevention and calls for a substantial scaling up of comprehensive efforts and resources to prevent drowning.
WHO Preventing Drowning: Practical Guidance
This guide provides best practice recommendations for three interventions to prevent drowning that are implemented at the community level; namely, day care, basic swimming and water safety skills, and safe rescue and resuscitation techniques.
WHO Preventing Drowning: An Implementation Guide
This guide provides practical steps to reduce drowning through 10 evidence-based interventions and strategies.
It also highlights ways to strengthen drowning prevention interventions through public awareness and engagement.
World Drowning Prevention Day Guidance
This guidance is meant to help inspire activities and events to mark World Drowning Prevention Day on 25 July.
It provides background information about WDPD, key messages, and ideas for activities that can be developed by all sectors.
International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) &
International Maritime Organistion (IMO)
SAR operator resources & a report on inclusivity in SAR sectors.
The IMRF is the international NGO working to develop and improve maritime SAR capacity around the world. They bring together the world's maritime SAR organisations and have both voluntary and governmental organisations as members. As well as capacity building, the IMRF also has an advocacy role, providing an international voice for its members.
It is the only maritime SAR NGO with consultative status at the UN’s IMO. The IMO is a specialised agency of the UN which is responsible for measures to improve the safety and security of international shipping and to prevent pollution from ships.
The IMRF publicly lists IMO guidance available which is relevant to SAR. You can access the IMRF’s IMO Documents Page here.
You can access the IMO’s Maritime Knowledge Centre here and the IMO’s Maritime Safety Publications here.
IMRF Basic Rescue
Boat Operator
Manual
This manual, together with the accompanying Rescue Boat Operator Search Cards, can be adapted to fit any local conditions.
It provides all the basic information, skills development and suggested learning techniques for a maritime SAR organisation regardless of its organisational development.
IMRF Rescue Boat Operator
Search Cards
The Search Cards are derived from the International Aeronautical and Maritime SAR Manual (IAMSAR) Volume III.
Together with the Basic Rescue Boat Operator Manual, they provide best practice for any organisation looking at introducing basic training in Rescue Boat SAR operations.
IMRF #WomenInSAR Report: Representation of Women in Maritime SAR
In October 2020, the IMRF launched a #WomenInSAR survey and received over 1600 responses from individuals and SAR organisations worldwide.
This report shares their findings on gender balance and equality of opportunity across the sector and – crucially – what could be done to improve.
IMO & UNHCR: Rescue at Sea: Principles and Practice as Applied to Refugees & Migrants
Intended for ship owners, governments, insurance companies, and all parties involved in sea rescue.
It provides guidance on legal provisions, procedures for prompt disembarkation of rescued persons, and measures to meet their specific needs, particularly in the case of refugees and asylum-seekers.