In this section:

Sea Survival Training Facilities

Any person who spends time on the water should complete a basic course on survival at sea. It is compulsory for many mariners including those personnel serving on ships. The facilities in NMCI are unique in Ireland, designed not only for fundamental safety training but other specialized survival training, all of which help increase your survival ability in emergency situations.

The sea survival pool can simulate conditions at sea from wind and rain to thunder and lightening and waves! Many of the courses held in the college also use the Jetty facilities for tuition of survival training.

Sea Survival Pool

This is 20m x 8m indoor pool where the temperature is maintained at 21oC. It has a depth of 5m at its deepest end which extends for 7.5m and a depth of 2.5m at the shallow end.

Students in a basic familiarization exercise in the sea survival pool

The environmental conditions which can be created include :

  • Wave generator with variable setting
  • Wind generated by large fans
  • Rain sprinkler system
  • Thunder and lightning using strobe lights and audio effects
  • Day and night capability

A student demonstrating that they are capable of entering the life raft from the water safely

Equipment and facilities at the environmental pool include :

  • A dive tank (8m deep, 4m diameter) for training divers in underwater burning and welding
  • Helicopter Underwater Escape Trainer (HUET) for ditched helicopter evacuation training
  • Marine evacuation system (MES) including landing platform
  • A large variety of inflatable life rafts and associated equipment
  • Jumping platforms at 1, 2, 4 and 6 metre heights
  • A comprehensive selection of dry suits, wetsuits, life jackets and PFD’s
  • Pool side safety equipment
  • Numerous survival equipment display boards
  • Life raft repair room
  • Divers workshop
  • Changing rooms with showers, lockers and WC’s
  • Disabled changing facilities

Jetty Facilities

Jetty

  • 25 person free-fall enclosed lifeboat
  • 32 person totally enclosed lifeboat with offshore davits and fire and gas protection
  • 32 person totally enclosed lifeboat
  • 21 person open lifeboat
  • A 6 metre Fast Rescue Craft with inboard jet drive
  • Two 4 metre safety boats with 25 hp outboard engine
  • A Caley Davit system
  • A 20 metre pontoon with link span to jetty
  • A slipway with winch facilities

The free-fall lifeboat in use during a training exercise