Training volunteers in Greece

Redningsselskapet has become an important partner to the Hellenic Rescue Team

Volunteers training volunteers

Redningsselskapets sister organization, Hellenic Rescue Team, has over 700 volunteers divided into 15 sea rescue bases on the mainland and the Greek islands.

In spite of the high number of volunteers, the Hellenic Rescue Team do not manage to utilize its capacity. This is due to the lack of rescue vessels and equipment necessary to engage in sea rescue. Per January 2016 only seven smaller rescue vessels are are at the Hellenic Rescue Teams disposal. This is not enough to help all those who attempt to take the unpredictable sea route from Turkey to Greece. According to The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, 850 000 migrants and refugees arrived Greece by sea in 2015.

Redningsselskapet want to help our sister organisation to build up the voluntary work further, and to enhance their efforts to receive refugees and migrants who come to the Greek islands. The aim of the partnership is to increase the volunteers knowledge on search and rescue work at sea. This includes first aid, basic search and rescue, communications and vessel handling.

Through fundraising, Redningsselskapet has been able to donate a RIB to the Hellenic Rescue Team to help in the rescue efforts. The aim is to fund further rescue vessels and build a lasting and sustainable sea rescue operation in Greece.