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Fire & Evacuation

Lifeline for seafarers
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neffective equipment’ is still being to the casualty’s distance from the shore
used by many fire and rescue
and difficulty in reaching with alternative

equipment. These included rescues by services to attempt water rescues,
the special services during the Falklands according to John Rinfret who, 40 years

Conflict and use by the Armed Forces ago, invented a vital lifeline which is still
ever since.
going strong today.

Seeing the huge benefits in The variety of rescue operations The BELL line is made of

lengthening a lifeline from 20 metres to have shown that the distance a line can polypropylene and is vetted by Bureau
40 metres, he came up with the Balcan be thrown is the vital aspect of life-saving Veritas on behalf of the Maritime

Emergency Lifeline, or BELL, and equipment but Mr Rinfret said CoastguardAgency.
launched it in 1974 - it was quickly ineffective equipment was still being “A drowning victim’s life depends on

recognised as a vast improvement on used.
proven length, accuracy and
traditional types of lifesaving equipment “There is an obvious difference in performance of rescue equipment and

and has since sold thousands of units.
attempting a water rescue using a 40- issuing lines with limited distance is
It was designed to allow anyone to metre lifeline and using a 20-metre line,” imprudent when you could be using one

throw it with considerable accuracy to he said.
with a longer range. When currents and
the best of their ability up to its full temperature take their toll and time “Despite this, few Fire and Rescue

length of 40 metres and since its launch, becomes of the essence, you need to Service (FRS) organisations include

Balcan has received numerous reports of quickly and effectively reach a casualty. BELLs in their safety kits – jeopardising
rescues that could not have been Without the right equipment, this is the lives of those in danger of
unachievable,” said Mr Rinfret.
performed without using the BELL due
drowning.”
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2014 Issue 60 The SHIP Supplier 33