IMRF Trustees Visit the Fort – Apr 2013

On Sunday 14th April trustees and other participants of the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) were invited to Fort Madalena where they had the opportunity to watch rescue demonstrations carried out by the volunteer members. They also enjoyed a tour of the Fort followed by a reception held at the Lecture Room. This set the scene for an interesting exchange of ideas and while offering the opportunity for social interaction between the members of both organisations.

The IMRF held a regional Search And Rescue meeting at the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) Maritime Squadron Headquarters between the 15 – 17 April 2013, hosted by the AFM, in collaboration with the Italian and US Coast Guards, where first hand experiences of both entities were discussed. St John Rescue Corps Officers participated in this meeting and made a very valid contribution in terms of sharing of ideas and opinions on a number of issues relevant to an international rescue scenario.

The IMRF brings some of the world’s maritime search and rescue organisations together in one global family, accredited by the International Maritime Organization. The mission statement of this Federation is: “Preventing loss of life in the world’s waters”. Maritime emergency search and rescue services are provided free of charge to those in need, and as an organisation it depends heavily on external funding, part of which it uses to assist its own member organisations. St John Rescue Corps is an affiliate member of the IMRF.