Staying dry during offshore search and rescue training
Freezing water, biting wind and a search and rescue training drill in a Norwegian fjord. As a helicopter rescues a group of people from the ocean; I follow the action with my camera, capturing the moments of pure teamwork and concentration.
My name is Njord Fornes. I’m a student, and photography is one of my main hobbies. Being a photographer means traveling to places where I need clothing that can endure all kinds of situations. That’s why I applied for the GORE-TEX Tested for Life Tryouts Challenge.
The drill for people working offshore
Photography has been a hobby of mine for a long time. I got my first camera when I was eight years old. I’ve had other ones since then, but I still take that first camera with me everywhere I go. I am only 21 and still studying, so luckily I have enough time for adventures like this one. I love what I do and really enjoyed the helicopter training. It took place in a fjord near Stavanger, Norway, about a year ago. My dad teaches Helicopter Energy Services and does search and rescue training. So I got the opportunity to join the group. How could I say no? It was a challenging adventure and a chance to get some great shots. I was kind of nervous at first. But after I got to know the crew, I knew what was coming, and it was totally fine.
The goal of the helicopter pickup drill is to evacuate people who work offshore. Everything is helicopter-assisted. The drill is an essential part of the rescuer training, as it’s a chance for them to practice on real people and not only on dolls or dummies. Even though I didn’t participate in the training, it was so impressive to see those people work together. I was part of a group of five offshore workers. They have to trust each other a lot, stick together and do what the other person says. My personal mission was to capture those unique moments of hard work, concentration and focus. My GORE-TEX suit made me more mobile, which was perfect. The activity only lasted for a day, but it will stay in my mind for a very long time, I’m sure.
This drill prepares you for the worst-case scenario
My only preparation was to charge my camera batteries and slip on my GORE-TEX Intergalactic wetsuit. Then, I was ready to jump into the water and join the group. The search and rescue training is basically a simulation of a real-life offshore scenario when the “shit hits the fan” on a rig or boat. The purpose of the drill is to teach rescuers how to evacuate a rig, boat or ship if necessary. Sometimes they use evacuation rafts and other times they go in with survival suits and wait for help to come. On my outing, the crew evacuated people directly from the helicopter. I took some awesome shots and was even able to shoot a short video. Unfortunately, my hard drive got corrupted, but luckily I could save the three images I took that day.
My advice to anyone attempting this drill: don’t joke around. Remember, this drill prepares you for the worst-case scenarios. Don’t be afraid of hanging from a helicopter; the rescuers know what they are doing! I would love to do this again, and I know my dad could arrange it for me in the future if I wanted to. Thanks to GORE-TEX products, I stayed as dry and as warm as one could be in the Norwegian ocean.
