Flood rescue operations in focus at Seawork 2025 FloodFighters conference

by EventsFeatured NewsFloodingSearch and Rescue

FloodFighters to bring flood response into focus at Seawork

Seawork has announced the launch of FloodFighters@Seawork for 2025.

According to Seawork, the new programme will include a dedicated pavilion, conference, and on-the-water demonstrations centred on improving flood rescue efforts.

FloodFighters will open with a conference on 10 June 2025, led by Roy Harold MBE, Emeritus UK Chief Fire Officer.

The conference will include panels and Q&A sessions with sector representatives discussing operational and strategic challenges in maritime search and rescue (SAR), particularly those linked to climate change and increasing flood events.

Sessions will include an update on the UK Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Flood rescue concept of operations, as well as input from Dutch representatives on large-scale flood response and ongoing work in that area.

Speakers to address climate impact and operational strategies

The FloodFighters Conference will begin at 09:30 on 10 June 2025 and conclude at 13:30.

Speakers are expected to present on topics including SAR obstacles connected to extreme weather events, best practices for future operations, and how nations respond after fatal flood incidents.

A dedicated session will explore developments in DEFRA’s asset register and updated guidance for UK flood response teams.

A networking lunch will follow the conference from 13:30 to 14:15.

FloodFighters Trail and Pavilion to showcase flood rescue solutions

Seawork will host a FloodFighters Pavilion where organisations can exhibit equipment and services to an audience of maritime professionals.

Visitors will also be able to follow a dedicated FloodFighters Trail across the venue.

The trail will display a range of flood and water rescue tools and technologies from manufacturers and response organisations.

Exhibitors will be present to engage with attendees and explain how their tools support operational readiness.

Demonstrations to show live flood rescue techniques

Live rescue demonstrations will take place on the water during FloodFighters@Seawork.

These sessions will be conducted by Professional Rescue and Wessex Rescue.

The demonstrations are intended to show current techniques and equipment in use for flood and water rescues.

Attendees will be able to observe how this equipment functions in practical situations.

Flood rescue operations in focus at Seawork 2025 FloodFighters conference: Summary

Seawork will introduce FloodFighters@Seawork in 2025.

The feature will include a conference, pavilion, and on-the-water rescue demonstrations.

The FloodFighters Conference is scheduled for 10 June 2025 and will be chaired by Roy Harold MBE.

Discussions will address challenges in maritime SAR operations, the effects of climate change, and updates from the UK and Netherlands on flood response.

A networking lunch will follow the conference.

The FloodFighters Pavilion and Trail will allow visitors to engage with manufacturers and responders presenting flood rescue tools and technology.

Live-action demonstrations from Professional Rescue and Wessex Rescue will also be included.

Seawork is organising the event.

Survitec unveils new fast rescue boat for emergency first responders

by Featured NewsProductsVehicles

Global Survival Technology leader, Survitec, has introduced a new lightweight design inflatable rescue boat capable of rapid single-point inflation to meet the unique demands of waterborne search and rescue operations by the emergency services.

The Survitec 420 GP/GPM FR (Fast Rescue) boat, which was unveiled at the Emergency Services Show, is based on military-grade technology. The seven-person boat is unique in that it is the emergency services sector’s first 4.2m long fast rescue craft that can be rapidly inflated using just one nine-litre self-contained carbon air cylinder. The GPM 420 is light weight and is easily deployed, handled and operated to the criteria of DEFRA. The new 420 GP/GPM FR takes just 40 seconds to inflate.

Scott Tonks, Maritime Defence Category Manager, Survitec, said: “We have redesigned the manifolds to ensure the optimal amount of air is going to each compartment of the boat to minimise the amount of air expelled though pressure relieve valves.”

“Smaller, fewer cylinders are needed for a more rapid inflation, which significantly increases the speed of deployment, resulting in faster emergency response times, potentially saving more lives.”

Designed for rescues in fast flowing waters and areas prone to flash flooding, the 420 GP/GPM FR boat is 4200m long and 1800m wide has a maximum payload of 903kg. The boat is manufactured from a durable Hypalon 1670dtex fabric, and benchmarked against SOLAS and DEFRA rescue boat standards.

Tonks added: “Before now fire brigades had to tow trailers and launch boats from slipways potentially some distance away from the location of the emergency, which obviously places limitations on water rescue capability.

“With this solution, responders can access the immediate emergency area, get the boat in the water safely and quickly, and get on with the job of saving lives. We’ve been working with several fire brigades during testing stages who are very interested in this product.”

Ten killed following flash flood in central Italy

by Featured News

At least 10 people were killed as a result of torrential overnight rains and flash floods in the central Italian region of Marche on Friday (16 September) according to authorities.

Around 400 millimetres (15.75 inches) of rain fell within two to three hours, the civil protection agency said, a third of the amount usually received in a year.

In addition to 10 dead, Italian newspapers reported that around 50 people were being treated at hospitals for hypothermia and other injuries sustained in the floods.

More than 180 firefighters were assisting in the rescue efforts, evacuating people who overnight were forced to climb up trees or get onto their roofs to escape the rising water.

According to the BBC, a mother who managed to escape her car with her child in her arms became separated from him after being overwhelmed by water when the River Misa burst its banks. Emergency workers managed to rescue the woman overnight but her six-year-old child is one of several still missing, local outlets report.

In several areas, schools are closed and electricity and telephone connections are interrupted. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi stated he will travel to the affected areas.

In Cantiano, a village close to the neighbouring Umbria region, residents were clearing mud from the streets after torrents had swept through several towns leaving a trail of trapped and damaged cars.

Pakistan flood death toll rises as hundreds of thousands remain displaced

by Featured News

The death toll from the floods that have submerged large areas of Pakistan has reportedly risen to nearly 1,500 people, data showed on Thursday, with authorities saying hundreds of thousands of people were still sleeping in the open air after the disaster.

Pakistan has experienced 391 mm of rain, nearly 190% more than the 30-year average, in July and August. This climbed to 466% for Sindh province, one of the worst-affected areas.

The deluge, brought by record monsoon rains and glacial melt in northern mountains, has impacted 33 million people out of a population of 220 million, destroying homes, vehicles, crops and livestock in damage estimated at $30 billion.

The tally of the dead stands at 1,486, including over 500 children , the National Disaster Management Authority said as it released its first country-wide total since 9 September.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been made homeless by flooding in the southern Sindh province, with many sleeping by the side of elevated highways to protect themselves from the water. In a statement on Thursday, Sindh’s Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said: “We have been buying tents from all the manufacturers available in Pakistan.”

Over the last few weeks, authorities have built barriers to keep the flood waters out of key structures such as power stations and homes, while farmers who stayed to try and save their cattle have faced a new threat as fodder has begun to run out.