Over the last few years the IMRF’s maritime mass rescue operations (MRO) project has produced a good deal. We have held three subject-specific conferences and in June we will be running a fourth.

We have brought together useful material and developed a series of guidance papers and an e-book on MRO issues and potential solutions: visit www.imrfmro.org to find out more.

We have an ongoing series of MRO workshops, for emergency responders around the world to get together and focus on these most challenging of SAR cases.

Now we’re introducing a new element to this work: an MRO subject-matter training course.

We announced this new venture in December, and considerable interest has been expressed in attending the first course. This will be held at Chalmers University in Gothenburg, Sweden, on 14-16 June 2017, immediately after our MRO conference in that same fine city. We expect that it will be followed by others, elsewhere in the world.

The planning team has been working on the details, and we believe that the course will be of significant value in improving MRO preparedness, and saving more lives – which is why the IMRF is running it.

Those attending will be able to acquire a much fuller understanding of the MRO issues. Learning outcomes will include an enhanced ability to identify, analyse and understand the problems, and to propose solutions.

This learning can then be applied by attendees when they get back home.

It is important to note that the course is not for everyone. It is primarily intended for senior managers such as national SAR Coordinators, other strategic planners, and trainers.

Attendees will be those who have, or who expect to have, planning and training responsibilities at national or major organisational level, or who can offer planning and/or training services in this area.

A wide knowledge of maritime SAR systems and procedures, as set out in the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual, will be a prerequisite for attendance. The course will be conducted in English.

If you would like to inquire about sponsorship opportunities or IMRF membership, please email [email protected], or telephone +44 (0)1569 767405.