Sea Survival Course

Lesson 1 • Personal Protective Equipment Overview

Surveys lifejackets, immersion suits, and personal locator beacons as primary survival tools. Establishes correct selection and donning as non-negotiable first skills.

Lesson 2 • Survival Psychology at Sea

Examines the psychological stages of a survival situation and the will-to-survive mindset. Builds mental resilience as the foundation for effective physical response.

Lesson 3 • Understanding Maritime Hazards

Identifies primary dangers at sea including capsizing, flooding, fire, and extreme weather. Provides the risk context that motivates all subsequent survival training.

Lesson 1 • Donning Immersion Suits Correctly

Trains rapid, unaided donning of immersion suits within the required time standard. Includes water-entry techniques that preserve the suit's thermal seal.

Lesson 2 • Lifejacket Types and Standards

Differentiates inherently buoyant, inflatable, and hybrid lifejackets by performance standard. Enables correct selection based on vessel type and operating area.

Lesson 3 • Donning Lifejackets Under Pressure

Practices rapid donning in darkness, confined spaces, and simulated vessel motion. Builds muscle memory so correct fitting becomes automatic in an emergency.

Lesson 4 • Immersion Suit Selection and Fit

Covers thermal protection ratings, sizing, and pre-deployment inspection of immersion suits. Correct fit directly determines thermal protection duration in cold water.

Lesson 1 • Launching Survival Craft

Trains the mechanical steps for launching lifeboats and life rafts from davits and hydrostatic releases. Mechanical competence prevents launch failures that cost lives.

Lesson 2 • Emergency Alarm Recognition

Identifies all mandatory alarm signals and their required crew responses. Correct alarm recognition is the trigger for every subsequent abandon-ship action.

Lesson 3 • Safe Water Entry Techniques

Teaches controlled jumps, feet-first entry, and surface swimming away from a sinking vessel. Correct entry technique prevents injury and reduces cold-shock exposure.

Lesson 4 • Muster Station Procedures

Covers muster station duties, headcount procedures, and accountability reporting. Ensures no crew member is left behind during an evacuation.

Lesson 1 • Survival Swimming Techniques

Covers drownproofing, floating, and energy-conserving strokes for use when no flotation is available. Efficient movement extends survival time and reduces exhaustion.

Lesson 2 • Rescue Swimmer Interaction

Prepares survivors to cooperate safely with rescue swimmers and helicopter hoists. Incorrect behavior during rescue can injure both survivor and rescuer.

Lesson 3 • Cold Water Immersion Physiology

Explains cold shock, swimming failure, hypothermia, and circum-rescue collapse as sequential physiological threats. Understanding the timeline drives correct behavioral responses.

Lesson 4 • Signaling from the Water

Teaches use of whistle, mirror, dye marker, and personal locator beacon while in the water. Effective signaling is the primary means of attracting rescuers to a survivor's position.

Lesson 1 • Immediate Actions After Boarding

Establishes the priority sequence: cut painter, clear the vessel, take headcount, treat injuries. Correct immediate actions maximize survivor safety in the first critical minutes.

Lesson 2 • Lifeboat Systems and Controls

Covers engine start, steering, propulsion, and safety systems of enclosed motor lifeboats. Operational knowledge enables the craft to be used as an active rescue platform.

Lesson 3 • Survival Craft Maintenance Underway

Covers bailing, leak repair, canopy maintenance, and watch-keeping routines aboard survival craft. Ongoing maintenance prevents craft deterioration that could prove fatal over time.

Lesson 4 • Life Raft Equipment and Layout

Identifies all standard equipment packed in a life raft survival kit and its intended use. Familiarity with the kit prevents wasted time searching during a crisis.

Lesson 1 • Sun, Heat, and Exposure Protection

Addresses sunburn, heat exhaustion, and dehydration prevention in tropical survival scenarios. Exposure injuries degrade survivor performance and can become life-threatening.

Lesson 2 • Medical Supplies and First Aid Afloat

Surveys the survival craft first aid kit and priority treatments for immersion injuries. Prompt treatment of hypothermia, wounds, and seasickness preserves survivor capacity.

Lesson 3 • Water Procurement and Rationing

Covers rainwater collection, solar still construction, and strict rationing protocols. Water is the most critical survival resource; dehydration kills faster than starvation.

Lesson 4 • Food Resources and Rationing

Identifies emergency ration use, fishing techniques, and caloric conservation strategies. Correct rationing extends the survival window while maintaining cognitive function.

Lesson 1 • VHF Radio Distress Procedures

Trains MAYDAY call structure, Channel 16 protocol, and DSC distress alert transmission. Radio communication is the fastest way to initiate a coordinated search-and-rescue response.

Lesson 2 • Search and Rescue Coordination

Explains how maritime rescue coordination centers process alerts and coordinate assets. Understanding the SAR system helps survivors take actions that improve rescue probability.

Lesson 3 • EPIRB and PLB Operation

Explains EPIRB and PLB activation, registration, and satellite detection process. Correct registration ensures search-and-rescue authorities receive accurate vessel identification.

Lesson 4 • Pyrotechnic Distress Signals

Covers handheld flares, parachute rockets, and smoke signals including safe handling and firing. Pyrotechnics remain the most visible short-range distress signal in daylight and darkness.

Lesson 1 • Extended Survival Planning

Covers multi-day survival planning including watch schedules, resource projection, and contingency decisions. Long-duration survival requires structured planning beyond immediate crisis response.

Lesson 2 • Rescue Transition and Debriefing

Prepares survivors for the physical and psychological transition from survival craft to rescue vessel. Structured debriefing captures lessons that improve future safety practices.

Lesson 3 • Night and Adverse Weather Survival

Adapts survival techniques for darkness, high seas, and storm conditions. Environmental extremes demand modified procedures and heightened situational awareness.

Lesson 4 • Leadership in Survival Situations

Develops command presence, task delegation, and conflict resolution skills for survival group leaders. Effective leadership directly determines group cohesion and survival outcome.