Lifeboat crews in the frame as helmet cameras used to film rescues

Crews in Whitby, Scarborough, Filey and Bridlington are among the latest to be kitted out with state-of-the-art cameras, which have been developed and funded by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

The cameras are aimed at providing media footage to raise awareness of the charity’s work, as well as helping crews to improve and develop their training.

The equipment is fitted directly onto the lifeboats or attached to specially-adapted helmets.

RNLI film and image manager Eleanor Driscoll said: “As a charity we are very much dependent on the public knowing about us and what we are doing with people’s money as obviously we aren’t Government funded. It offers a unique view of the rescues as most of them happen a few miles out to sea so by that nature people normally can’t see them taking place.

“The cameras have been developed in-house by our engineering team and the crews are all given training on how to use the equipment as they edit their own videos.”

Whitby lifeboat started using its new equipment – a £2,100 helmet camera – last week.

So far the crew has filmed five rescues and it will be put into action throughout this week’s Lifeboat Flag Weekend, which will feature demonstrations by the George and Mary Webb and OEM Stone 111.

Coxswain Mike Russell said: “It’s quite a useful little tool. We are still getting used to recording and editing at the moment, but we’re getting there.”