A lot has happened in maritime SAR over the last 100 years and during that time the IMRF and its predecessor organisation, the ILF, and their membership have been at the centre of the development and sharing of knowledge relating to rescue craft design, life-saving technologies and SAR training, as well as promoting the establishment of new maritime lifesaving organisations worldwide. 

From now until the end of 2024 maritime historian and retired Canadian Coast Guard lifeboat coxswain Clayton Evans will look at the highlights of the IMRF’s “First Century” in a series of articles to be published on the IMRF's Centennial History Portal.

Using research material from the 23 International Lifeboat Conferences and World Maritime Rescue Congresses held since 1924, as well as from inter-sessional meetings and seminars, this history has been broken down into specific topics that have been the focus of discussion among IMRF members over the last 100 years. These topics include, not necessarily in order, the following:

• Mechanical Propulsion in Lifeboats – From Sails and Oars to Water Jets

• Avoiding Capsize - the “Self-Righting” Debate

• Lifesaving Signals, Line-throwing Guns and Beach Apparatus

• Means of Launching Lifeboats (Afloat, Shore, Beach and Airborne)

• Construction of Lifeboats, from Wood to Aluminium

• Communications at Sea, from Radio-telephony to Satellites

• The Raising of Funds for Lifeboat Societies

• Operating Models of Lifeboat Services and Maritime Rescue Organisations

• Evolving Personal Protective Gear - Standardization of Lifeboats and Lifesaving Equipment

• Promotion of International Cooperation in Maritime SAR

• Aviation and Maritime SAR

• Daring Rescues Discussed at ILC/WMRCs

• Lifeboat Accidents Discussed at ILC/WMRCs

• Development of Inflatable Rescue Craft

• The USCG 44 Foot Motor Lifeboat

• Maritime SAR Training – Then and Now

• Mass Rescue Operations - Search and Rescue Coordination

---

Research Assistance Request:

Given the magnitude of this international history any additional archival information, including reports, papers and images, from individual IMRF members regarding any of these specific topics – or the history of the ILF/IMRF in general - would be gladly accepted and very much appreciated. Readers will be reminded of the subject of the next article ahead of its release.

About The Author:

Clayton (Clay) Evans has worked and volunteered in maritime search and rescue for more than 30 years and spent much of that time as a lifeboat coxswain off the coast of British Columbia with the Canadian Coast Guard. He has written and contributed to several books and articles on the history of lifesaving at sea and continues to research and write about this evolving story.