The RNLI College (formerly known as the Lifeboat College) is the national training centre of the

Royal National Lifeboat Institution The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest of the lifeboat (rescue), lifeboat services operating around the coasts of the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on s ...

(RNLI) in

Poole Poole () is a coastal town and seaport on the south coast of England in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority area in Dorset, England. The town is east of Dorchester, Dorset, Dorchester and adjoins Bournemouth to the east ...

, Dorset, England. It opened in 2004 to provide training for lifeboat crews and shore crews. In addition to training facilities, it includes hotel rooms, a restaurant and bar which are open to other organisations and the public.

History

The RNLI was established in 1824. Lifeboat crews were drawn from local sailors, fishermen and coastguards who did not need to be trained in boat work, but they did need to learn to work together and sail in poor conditions. The regulations required that ''as the efficiency of a life-boat depends on the good training and discipline of her crew… the boat shall be taken afloat for exercise, fully manned, at least once a quarter, giving the preference to blowing weather''. Lifeboat inspectors also visited each station regularly to check on the crew and their boat. The advent of motor lifeboats in the early years of the twentieth century followed by the development of electrical equipment such as radio and radar brought a need for some technical training. Another change was the smaller number of professional sailors which saw most volunteers coming from other backgrounds and needing to be trained in boat handling and navigation. Volunteers were trained at their

stations Station may refer to: Agriculture * Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production * Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle ** Cattle stat ...

but technical training for radio and radar was done by three Mobile Training Units, caravans which could be taken around the country. Some training was undertaken at the RNLI's headquarters which moved to Poole in 1974. It was suggested in 1996 that an international training college should be provided and so the Lifeboat College (as it was then known) was built on the quayside opposite the headquarters building. It was opened by

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

on 28 July 2004.

Description

Poole B716 practising helicopter winching

The college and adjacent Lifeboat Support Centre were built by Dean and Dyball. The roof is curved to represent waves. Windows are round to mimic

porthole A porthole, sometimes called bull's-eye window or bull's-eye, is a generally circular window used on the hull of ships to admit light and air. Though the term is of maritime origin, it is also used to describe round windows on armored vehic ...

s. The college has classrooms, engine workshops and a

bridge A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...

simulator. Its Sea Survival Centre has a

wave pool A wave pool is a swimming pool in which there are artificially generated, large waves, similar to those of the ocean. Wave pools are often a major feature of water parks, both indoors and outdoors, as well as some leisure centres. History Th ...

and can simulate waves, thunder, lightning, rain and gale-force winds. Crews are also trained at sea, either in a fleet of lifeboats that are kept at Poole for that purpose or in their new lifeboats before they are placed on station. The college includes 60 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar which are also open to non-RNLI visitors.

References

External links

* {{Official, rnli.org/rnli-college Royal National Lifeboat Institution 2004 establishments in England Buildings and structures completed in 2004 Buildings and structures in Poole Economy of Dorset Exhibition and conference centres in England Survival training

History

Description

See also

References

Further reading

External links