Why We do it
This annual training day isn’tjust a chance to escape the office – it’s a vital part of creating a communityof safety and expertise. By gaining practical, first-hand experience withSeago’s products, staff build the knowledge and confidence they need to guidecustomers toward the right safety equipment for their needs. It’s not justabout selling; it’s about ensuring every customer leaves with a trusted productthat could one day make a life-saving difference.
A Classic British Start
On 11 September, 13 members ofthe Force 4 team gathered at Andark Diving Centre in Lower Swanwick for theirannual training day with Seago. True to form, the British weather delivered asteady drizzle and a leaden sky, but spirits were far from dampened. Seago provided not only shelter but also a hearty breakfast of bacon and sausage baps by the lake to get the day started.
From Bacon Baps to Buoyancy
After breakfast, the team walkedup to the indoor pool where Dan Temple, Seago’s Director, opened the session.Dan kept things short and sweet, a quick thank-you for attending and an outlineof the day’s plan.
Life Jackets: Fit for Purpose
Andy O’Connor (Sales Manager) andChris Lake (Technical Director) kicked things off with a deep dive into theimportance of fitting a life jacket correctly. Chris explained in detail howfeatures like “jacket freeboard” keep water away from the wearer’s face,ensuring maximum safety and comfort. Andy went over how the S-Lung design worksdirecting the impact of the water away from the wearer. It was the kind oftechnical insight that can transform a piece of equipment from “just anotherlife jacket” into an essential piece of lifesaving kit in the eyes of staff andcustomers alike.
Life Rafts in Real Life
Then it was time for the mainevent: life raft deployment and boarding practice. The group watched ademonstration of how to deploy a raft, learned about its onboard features, andthen took turns climbing in while wearing life jackets. On paper, it soundssimple. In reality, it’s a slippery, splashy, upper-body workout that everyoneshould try at least once. To up the ante, one of the Life rafts were flipper overto teach proper righting technics follow by a few races of who could board theraft fastest and swim the length of the pool and back. There was plenty of good-natured competition and laughter as staff tested their skills.
How to right a liferaft from the water
Refuelling & Reflecting
After a morning of paddling, climbing and learning, the team headed to a nearby pub for a well-earned lunch. Over food and a dry seat, they swapped stories from the pool and reflected on the morning’s lessons.
Why It Matters
This annual training day isn’tjust a chance to escape the office – it’s a vital part of creating a communityof safety and expertise. By gaining practical, first-hand experience withSeago’s products, staff build the knowledge and confidence they need to guidecustomers toward the right safety equipment for their needs. It’s not justabout selling; it’s about ensuring every customer leaves with a trusted productthat could one day make a life-saving difference.
