Whilst staying at the RNLI Headquarters, we went on a tour of the training Center and facilities. Anyone who volunteers to become Lifeboat Crew must attend training here. The facilities are amazing, and include this pool which is 4 meters deep, with a 1 meter rim above the water line so that they can create a rough sea by creating up to 1 meter waves. The also have lighting and sound effect system to create thunder and lightening, and nighttime conditions. They have high pressured water hoses (like fireman use) which sprays water across the pool to create the sea spray you would get on a rough sea. The first thing a crew member in training has to do when they enter this survival Center is to jump off the 4 meter high platform into the pool. Once they have done this, they then train for around 3 hours in some horrendous conditions - just like they may face out at sea. The window you can see has blackout shutters so that they can turn day into night, so any condition can be created within the pool. The pool is big enough to allow them to train with a self-righting lifeboat too. The crane above the pool (the yellow bit at the top of the picture) allows them to lower a lifeboat into the pool and flip it over during the training so that the crew can learn how to protect themselves if it should happen for real whilst they are out on a rescue.
