New training center for Air Rescue UK

The 10th anniversary of Air Rescue UK was marked by the opening of Sentinel House, its new training center in Harwich, Essex, UK. Officially opened by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Essex Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, Sentinel House is a new base for Air Rescue UK and its continued growth.

The facility is a larger building than Air Rescue UK’s previous site, allowing space to conduct the full mission life cycle in one place, and still have room for further planned growth and expansion. Currently, on site there is the Bluedrop Training & Simulation Portable Hoist Mission Training System (HMTS), a modular static hoist tower, an XVR Simulation scenario training suite for critical incident decision-making, and a medical training room with manikins and other first response emergency care (FREC) equipment, as well as a suite of other classrooms that can be adapted for various training.

Also announced at the opening ceremony was that Ian Bonthrone, Managing Director of Air Rescue UK, was handing the reins of the role to Operations Director Trevor Abraham. As Abraham steps into the Managing Director position, effective immediately, Bonthrone will remain with the company in an overseer position of the Air Rescue UK group of businesses to include Air Rescue Africa, Air Rescue Falkland Islands, Air Rescue Training & Simulation, and Air Rescue Equipment.

Harwich was chosen as a location for the training center as the town is also home to one of the sites of Trinity House (the General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar), and Harwich Haven Authority, and is within Freeport East, drawing in industry and investment in coastal operations, as well as being near the east coast’s green energy cluster, resulting in a high demand for British helicopter hoist operations (HHO).

Abraham and Bonthrone were also keen to explain that Sentinel House is more than just a training hub for hoisting, although the technology and expertise are directed primarily in that sector. The site is modular and adaptable from the equipment to the suites and is suitable for a range of training needs. For example, the medical training room is not just for HHO, as the first aid, CPR and AED, and First Response Emergency Care (FREC) level 3 and 4 courses are available to any business or organization that needs to train its staff in these vital lifesaving skills.

Explaining the role of Air Rescue UK in the industry and within the local community, Bonthrone said: “Simulators, for sure, provide training that is safe. And I think that’s the big keyword. I can talk about cost-effectiveness and lowering the training costs, but safety is the key thing. And, in the modern world, training in [the HMTS] is a lot more environmentally friendly than firing up a helicopter.”

He continued: “Opening Sentinel House has not only given us the home to call our own at last. It’s allowed us to add an integrated pilot seat into the simulator. It’s given us space for the hoist tower. It’s also given us the capability for fast roping and abseiling. Plus, there are the modern classrooms that are available for all in the local area. We’re not wrapping our hands around this; we’re quite happy to share our space, because there’re people crying out for this.”

Air Rescue UK was recently a featured provider in the May edition of AirMed&Rescue.