#SaferSAR Webinar Introduces the First Global SAR Safety Learnings Log

The latest IMRF #SaferSAR webinar, held on 24 April 2025, introduced the first Global SAR Safety Learnings Log, a vital new initiative designed to support safer operations across the maritime search and rescue (SAR) community. The session brought together key voices from across the sector to explore how safety reporting can strengthen learning, foster open communication, and help prevent future incidents.

SAR operations will always carry inherent risks, but we must do everything we can to ensure that those who go to rescue others can return home safely themselves. Yet despite the high-risk nature of SAR work, incidents involving SAR units remain significantly underreported in many places. The IMRF Safety Reporting and the Global SAR Safety Learnings Log have been developed in direct response to this, with the objective of creating a global system to share critical safety learnings and help prevent repeated incidents across the sector.

“This initiative is not about blame, it’s about learning, improving, and ultimately saving lives,” said Jaakko Heikkilä, International Programme Manager at the IMRF, who outlined the organisation’s aim to support global SAR capacity through guidance, standards, training, and knowledge exchange. “The IMRF is not just the few people coordinating activities, it’s about the member organisations and the wider community, sharing knowledge and learning together.”

The SAR community has confirmed the importance of such a system. A recent IMRF survey found that 92% of respondents believe global safety reporting improves safety for all, while 97% agreed that the culture of sharing safety-related information has improved over the last decade.

Jianeng Wang, PA to the Chairman of Zhejiang Man Yang Shipping, one of the IMRF’s latest members, highlighted the life-or-death importance of safety culture during SAR operations. Sharing a powerful case study from a chemical explosion incident at a Chinese port in 2024, she described how the rescue team navigated complex and dangerous conditions, underlining why strict protocols, innovation, and clear communication are critical in protecting the rescuers as well as those they assist.

Adding a research perspective, Mikko Lehtimäki, PhD student at the University of Vaasa, explored human factors and crew performance in the high-stakes environment of high-speed rescue boat operations. His doctoral research stresses the role of cognitive workload, teamwork, and proactive safety culture in preventing accidents and supporting effective SAR responses.

Adam Parnell, Director of Maritime at CHIRP, introduced the early findings from the Global SAR Safety Learnings Log, which has been developed in partnership between IMRF and CHIRP. This first report, to be published in the coming weeks, identifies key risk themes already emerging from the incident data submitted so far, including issues around fatigue, situational awareness, communication breakdowns, and equipment problems.

“A safety management system on paper isn’t enough; it must be backed by a culture of trust, constructive challenge, and shared learning,” Adam explained. He emphasised the importance of decision-support tools, clear thresholds for action, and open dialogue within SAR teams.

How to Get Involved

For the IMRF Safety Reporting and the Global SAR Safety Learnings Log to have maximum impact, it needs broad participation. All SAR organisations, whether they currently have their own reporting systems or not, are encouraged to contribute. Reports can be submitted directly through the IMRF’s reporting platform, which offers anonymous submissions and multilingual support, ensuring accessibility for all.

There are several ways to engage:

Submit individual incident reports via the reporting form.

Share anonymised data from your organisation’s internal reporting system with the IMRF.

Integrate your reporting processes with the IMRF Safety Reporting system via regular data uploads or direct integration.

Every report contributes to preventing the same mistake from happening elsewhere. The strength of this initiative lies in collective input and shared experience.

To submit a report, please scan the QR code below, or click here.

The first Global SAR Safety Learnings Log will be published shortly and available via the IMRF website. Members will also be kept informed through our regular communications. The report will include a QR code for easy reporting access, along with guidance on how to engage with the system.

“Collaboration is at the heart of safer SAR,” Jaakko concluded. “Together, by sharing these learnings, we can make a real difference.”

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