# Voluntary Rescue Services around the world **URL:** \ **Category:** Marine Incidents\ **Created:** [April 4, 2026, 2:54pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/voluntary-rescue-services-around-the-world/75012 "2026-04-04T14:54:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 2:54pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/voluntary-rescue-services-around-the-world/75012/1 "2026-04-04T14:54:28Z")
![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/9/6/96c1a08ef35e6777416dd6a5ec6eead83e50e6d3.jpeg) The recently delivered KNRM Vlieland based CHATARINA D in action Photo : Flying Focus Aerial Photography www.flyingfocus.nl © ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/d/6/d60688f0cdaa591c0425f4c49cb9e61bbcf1f9dd.jpeg) The KNRM Vlieland based lifeboats GRAAF VAN BYLANDT and CHATARINA D in action Photo : Flying Focus Aerial Photography www.flyingfocus.nl © > **[VESSEL REVIEW | Chaterina D – Fast self-righting RIB for Dutch volunteer...](https://www.bairdmaritime.com/work-boat-world/ribs-and-rhibs/vessel-review-chaterina-d-fast-self-righting-rib-for-dutch-volunteer-rescue-service)** > > At the end of 2023, Palfinger Marine handed over a new rigid inflatable boat (RIB) to the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (Koninklijke Nederlandse Redd A presentation of the Dutch voluntary rescue service: > **[Royal Dutch Rescue Company (KNRM)   - Involve](https://involve.eu/en/cases/koninklijke-nederlandse-redding-maatschappij-knrm/)** > > The KNRM has been offering assistance 24/7 to people in trouble on the water since 1824. This is done through the efforts of more than 1400 volunteers. They ---
**Author:** ![MesquiteMinnow](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/mesquiteminnow/32/69650_2.png) [@MesquiteMinnow](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/MesquiteMinnow)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 7:32pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/voluntary-rescue-services-around-the-world/75012/2 "2026-04-04T19:32:22Z")
Pretty cool! ---
**Author:** ![Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Binbag_the_Saylore)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 9:16pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/voluntary-rescue-services-around-the-world/75012/3 "2026-04-04T21:16:44Z")
UK & Ireland (yes, the Republic) have the RNLI - Royal National Lifeboat Institution. [[rnli.org](http://rnli.org) ] See BBC series “Saving Lives at Sea” e.g. [https://youtu.be/VWFgK8zegWk](https://youtu.be/VWFgK8zegWk) ---
**Author:** ![Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Binbag_the_Saylore)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 9:19pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/voluntary-rescue-services-around-the-world/75012/4 "2026-04-04T21:19:34Z")
France has the SNSM … [Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soci%C3%A9t%C3%A9_Nationale_de_Sauvetage_en_Mer) ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/voluntary-rescue-services-around-the-world/75012/5 "2026-04-14T20:47:19Z")
Here is a classical rescue vessel, originally belonging to “Redningsselskapet”, Norway: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/4/e/4ef286d8fbdb59d5e0b63a9921a235a2b4ef0abd.jpeg) The NORDIC DONNA arriving in the port of Den Helder. Photo: Wim Albers (c) Presently operated by Glomar Offshore as a guardboat in the Dutch sector of the North Sea. > **[Nordic Donna Vessel Specifications | PDF | Ships | Shipping](https://www.scribd.com/document/942251165/Vessel-Spec-Seaspan-Nordic-Donna-v3)** > > Scribd is the world's largest social reading and publishing site. Built as RS 81 “Hjelm Waage” at Smedvik Shipyard in 1971. Here is an article from Skipsrevyen from her delivery in 1971: > **[R/K «Hjelm Waage»](https://batomtaler.skipsrevyen.no/rk-hjelm-waage/r/k-hjelm-waage/1094683)** > > Ny redningskrysser - gave fra Hagbart Waage > > Skipsrevyen nr 1/1971: R/K «Hjelm Waage» - den 10. i rekken fra Smedvik Mek. Verksted til Redningsselskapet. PS: Sorry, only available in Norwegian. ![main427](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/a/1/a15186ab6e1a16b1a4d10a6c59dd0265f39b54c7.jpeg) She served Redningsselskapet (NSSR) from 1971 - 2004, both station at various locations along the Norwegian coast and Shetland. PS: She has had various owners and tasks since then. Here she is in her later years with NSSR, doing what she did best for 33 years: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/4/a/4a0ccc8be0e041da252e42f9357fdb6e49eb114e.png) A presentation of NSSR: > **[NSSR (Norway)](https://www.international-maritime-rescue.org/nssr-norway)** > > Norwegian Sea Rescue Society Our aim is to save lives, also by changing attitudes and behaviours towards sea safety. Our main target groups are children and youngsters. These groups are important, because attitudes develop over time and children can... ---
**Author:** ![renoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/858c86/32.png) [@renoun](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/renoun)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2026, 4:31am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/voluntary-rescue-services-around-the-world/75012/6 "2026-04-15T04:31:44Z")
In North America the US Coast Guard has an volunteer auxiliary that generally doesn’t do much SAR (with a few exceptions) but there’s definitely parts of Canada that have volunteers routinely performing SAR as part of the [Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary](https://ccga-gcac.ca/rcmsar/).