Survival equipment in cold environments

When a crew has to abandon their vessel onto snow covered land or an ice flow in polar waters, they will not survive long without equipment and a shelter. Polar areas have some of the harshest conditions in the world and people can very quickly become hypothermic and lose the will to live. Without adequate protection and knowledge of how to use specialised equipment, survival chances are low.

The course guides learners on how items should be used to enhance the chances of survival, with further information on pitching a tent and survival on ice after abandoning a vessel.

The learner is also shown how to ensure that a tent is secure against strong wind and people are safe from animal attacks. The module assists with the requirement in sub-section 8.3.3.3.7 in the Polar Code, which states that ‘the crew shall be trained in the use of personal survival equipment and group survival equipment.’

Learning objectives:

• Describe how to erect a tent on a snow covered ice flow
• Identify what is contained in a group survival kit (GSK) for extreme cold weather conditions
• Identify what is contained in a personal survival kit (PSK) for extreme cold weather conditions
• Identify how to use items of equipment supplied in a GSK or PSK survival kit