PD Ports, alongside the Tees and Hartlepool Port Users Association (THUPA) and the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), has donated a new thermal imaging camera to the RNLI to enable increased effectiveness of search and rescue operations.
The shipping community on Teesside came together to purchase the hi-tech thermal imaging device, providing the RNLI lifeboat crew with state of the art ‘night vision’ to identify causalities at sea or on land and ultimately increase capability to save lives.
The camera can detect heat sources up to a kilometre away, and importantly is not affected by the bright lights of Teesside’s industry.
PD Ports contributed half of the £3000 donation through its ‘Find it-Fund it’ scheme, an initiative that supports local causes its employees are involved with. The remainder of the funds were provided by the THUPA and ICS.
Kirsten Donkin, PD Ports Head of PR, Marketing & Communications said, “As the Statutory Harbour Authority of the River Tees, it’s great to be able to work in partnership with the wider shipping community in Teesside and as a result, fund vital lifesaving equipment such as this.”
Stuart Brookes, Chair of the THUPA and Nikka Sayer, Chair of ICS, recently visited Redcar RNLI to officially present the thermal imaging camera to the team, all of whom are volunteers.
Mike Picknett, Redcar RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said, “We really can’t thank enough the organisations who have contributed towards the donation of the thermal imaging equipment.
“It gives us much more certainty that when we search for someone, we will find them. Equally as important, it will also cut down the time the volunteer RNLI crews spend searching and sea or on the River Tees, often in the dark and in poor weather conditions.
“This is cutting-edge technology and it’s already been put to good use searching around the cliffs at Saltburn.”
Stuart Brookes, THUPA Chairman said, “As a shipping community, we couldn’t think of anything more fitting than to support one of the local branches of the RNLI.
“The Redcar RNLI does an incredible job and we’re thrilled that we’ve been able to help it to purchase such an invaluable piece of equipment that can be dedicated to saving lives in the Tees Bay area.”
