The importance of flood and water safety training is often overlooked in our developed, First World society. For the majority of us, knowing how to respond and save lives during flooding and extreme weather is not a skill we will ever require, it is the job of a professional. However, for others around the world, it is the difference between life and death, a horrifyingly regular part of everyday life.

 Our Rescue team are all too aware of this, especially since proudly working with international humanitarian organisation, Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), supplying our specialist rescue equipment for their amazing work in Bangladesh.

 Founded in 2013, MOAS was the first non-governmental SAR organization in the Central Mediterranean and is now dedicated to ‘providing humanitarian aid and services to the most vulnerable people around the world’. After several missions in the Mediterranean and Aegean seas where more than 40.000 people were rescued, MOAS expanded its operations in Bangladesh in 2017, assisting Rohingya refugees escaping violence in Myanmar, and the local Bangladeshi community. Their mission began with 40 tons of humanitarian aid being delivered, and the establishment of two aid stations to provide vital medical care.

 Since 2019, their mission in Bangladesh is now focused on providing their expertise and technical advice for the delivery of the flood and water safety training to Rohingya refugees, host community, volunteer first-responders and other local organisations. This ensures life-saving emergency response systems are in place and refugees have the training they need to safely protect themselves and others, particularly during the monsoon season. In order to deliver such training, specialist rescue equipment was required, and so began our proud collaboration with MOAS.

 Craig McColl, our Specialist Rescue Equipment Manager, has worked closely with the team in Bangladesh and commends the incredible work of MOAS, stating, “it is a privilege and a source of great pride, for the whole team at Northern Diver, to know we are assisting MOAS in their mission and that our equipment is being used to help educate those who need it the most”.

 The equipment we have supplied, including PFDs, helmets and inflatable rafts, allows MOAS to deliver the vital flood and water safety training, empowering all those participating with the knowledge and skills they will need in emergency scenarios. These situations, unfortunately, arise frequently due to the fact Bangladesh’s low-lying land is prone to serious and chronic flooding.

 We hope to continue working with MOAS for many years to come, supporting them in their future endeavours, wherever and however we can.

 To find out more about Migrant Offshore Aid Station please click here.