Oceangate Selects Falck for Helicopter Underwater Egress Training for Titanic Expedition

OceanGate Inc., a provider of manned-submersible services, has selected Falck Safety Services Canada to provide Helicopter Underwater Egress Training (HUET) for the 2018 Titanic Survey Expedition.

The wreck site of the RMS Titanic is located about 400 miles due south of St. John’s, Newfoundland. As part of the multi-year survey of the RMS Titanic, which kicks off in June, the expedition crew, mission specialists, and content experts fly from St. John’s, Newfoundland to rendezvous with the dive support ship at sea.

“Falck is a trusted global leader in safety services”, says Stockton Rush, OceanGate CEO. “We are pleased to provide this important safety training for our entire crew and the mission specialists joining us on the expedition.”

In preparation for the over-ocean helicopter flight, all crew members must participate in a one-day HUET session. This mandatory training is required in preparation for the unlikely event of an emergency landing at sea. Using a helicopter simulator, similar to those used by military personnel, all crew members will learn to safely and effectively exit the aircraft and survive at sea.

“This training will provide all crew members with an understanding of helicopter over-water transportation and the hazards involved," comments Ben Rossong from Falck. “Whether landing on the helideck of a vessel, or an offshore platform, this course will prepare participants to safely respond in the unlikely event of an emergency water landing. Crew members will learn how to safely exit the aircraft on the surface, as well as the proper procedures to egress underwater.”

The HUET session includes both classroom and practical training utilizing Falck’s Modular Egress Training Simulator (METS®). Falck, a global leader in safety services will conduct the training at their Newfoundland and Labrador location where all crew and mission specialists will participate prior to spending a week at sea to explore the wreck of the Titanic.

About Falck 

Falck Safety Services Canada (FSSC) is a local Canadian training provider dedicated to serving the Oil & Gas, Marine, Industrial, and Military sectors. FSSC provides a wide range of safety, survival, and emergency response training for clients including: The Canadian Department of National Defence, Canadian Space Agency, ExxonMobil, Shell, Cougar Helicopters, and many more. Falck Safety Services Canada goes above and beyond traditional classroom lectures by incorporating industry experience with scenario based practical training. Both FSSC facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and simulation products used to provide high fidelity realistic training. www.falck.ca

About OceanGate

OceanGate Inc. is a privately held company based in Everett, Washington. Founded in 2009, the company provides manned submersible services for industry, research, and exploration. OceanGate’ 5-man submersibles provide deep sea access for underwater site survey and inspection, scientific research and data collection, technology testing, and film production. www.oceangate.com

About OceanGate Expeditions

OceanGate Expeditions, a wholly owned subsidiary of OceanGate, Inc., is focused on exploration of the undersea world.  OceanGate Expeditions conducts undersea expeditions to explore and document the 95% of the seafloor that man has rarely visited including iconic shipwrecks, hydrothermal vents, deep-sea canyons, and rare biological events around the world. These expeditions, to depths approaching 4,000 meters (13,000 feet), provide rare opportunities for citizen explorers to observe the mysteries of the deep sea and expand our understanding of our home, earth, the blue planet.

About the Titanic Survey Expedition

OceanGate Expeditions will conduct a series of week-long manned submersible survey missions to the wreck of the RMS Titanic beginning in 2018. This longitudinal survey to collect images, video, laser scans and sonar data will provide an objective basis to assess the decay of the wreck over time and help document and preserve its submerged history. Expeditions will be conducted with great respect for those who lost their lives in the tragic sinking of the Titanic and rigorously observe the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Guidelines for Research, Exploration and Salvage of RMS Titanic [Docket No. 000526158–1016–02] and UNESCO guidelines for the preservation of underwater world heritage sites. www.titanicsurveyexpedition.com