Reddingsbrigade Amstelveen

Reddingsbrigade Amstelveen and Reddingsbrigade Nederland

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The Netherlands is known for its associations and foundations. In 1969 Amstelveen got its own 25 meter indoor swimming pool: Het Keerpunt. At the time, a few residents considered it necessary that Amstelveen also had its own Rescue Brigade. At that time, this group that Reddingsbrigade Amstelveen founded, could not yet know that in 2020 we now have about 135 members and about 25 instructors, both qualified and / or in training.

Many Amstelveners have already obtained their diplomas and certificates. The training hours have not changed in the years and the board members have remained virtually stable, the instruction corps is subject to changes, which benefits the structure of the association. Within Reddingsbrigade Amstelveen we are now ready for the third generation of members.

Staff members who now work in De Meerkamp are or were members of the Reddingsbrigade Amstelveen and now have a paid job there. Previously, we mainly received the instruction from the swimming younger members, a few years ago we started teaching adults. This has resulted in instructors who have not been with the association since childhood, which has a favorable effect on the functioning of the association.

Of course it is a big task for the board to keep the instruction together, the swimming members up to certification 4 can still change, but those who come in certification 5 and above should be seen as an upcoming management member. More investment is therefore needed in this group of people. As directors we try to be as close as possible to the instruction and swimming members. Which is reflected, among other things, because all board members also give swimming lessons.

From the age of 5 you can join us to take swimming lessons. From the age of 4 it is possible to get on the waiting list. We think that to start swimming with 4 years is too young, hence this age limit. Anyone who can swim in the 25 meter pool at the discretion of the instruction can come right away. two to three times a year there is a swimming / swimming diploma. New members can therefore join every Saturday, although they will not be able to swim immediately with the next certification and / or diploma.

There are few committees within the brigade. If someone has an idea and would like to implement it, the board often agrees immediately (which is why there are probably few committees.)

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Profile sketch

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Rescue Brigade Amstelveen aims to prevent drowning.

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The Rescue Brigade Amstelveen aims to prevent and combat drowning. She tries to do this by promoting swimming rescue. Reddingsbrigade Amstelveen is affiliated with the Reddingsbrigades Nederland. The umbrella body established in IJmuiden. The courses and exams are described in a manual, called the ER (Examination Regulations). Each affiliated Rescue Brigade will have to adhere to these descriptions. There are 180 Rescue Brigades in the Netherlands that provide the same courses. There are two types of rescue brigades in the Netherlands, the inland waterways such as Amstelveen - Utrecht and the coastal brigades such as IJmuiden and Zandvoort.

As a Rescue Brigade we mainly train our members on the technique of swimming rescue. The competition element is not important to us.

For the exams within Reddingsbrigade Amstelveen, examiners are invited. These persons then come from another rescue brigade to examine with us and our instructors with powers can again take exams at the other rescue brigades.

It is no easy task to keep our members within the rescue brigade. From the age of 15, a student may join an instructor, then the student can follow the Instructor training, and then start teaching independently.

Reddingsbrigades Nederland, the KNBRD, is an umbrella organization in the Netherlands. It is a non-profit organization and is affiliated with the national and international organizations Oranje Kruis NOC * NSF and ILSE. Rescue brigades in the Netherlands ensure unity in diplomas and training. It also promotes recognition with the government. She also plays a major role in disaster relief. Since 1953 Reddingsbrigade Nederland has had a task in disaster relief and in 1995 the task was officially recognized by the government. The Rescue Brigade started in 1938.

In 1938 Nicolas Wijman had a textbook for swimming education. It pointed out that a person would not be able to swim and that drowning when entering the water was his innate fate. In 1750, the American Franklin wrote that all people can swim just like animals. It just came down to having the courage to accomplish this.

In 1770, the educator Jean Jaques turned around. Swimming was a natural form of movement, which would save him from the danger of drowning. From 1797 on, people began to wonder what to do with all those thousands of drownings. General Ernst Pfeul already mentioned cork jackets, swimming belts and other buoyancy aids as a solution, but who would wear such a means 24 hours a day? Drowning comes unexpectedly, of course.

In 1817 the General already wrote about swimming strokes in 4 parts, which should be the basic principles of the current swimming strokes. In 1912, Dr. Mijnlief managed to develop a course of 6 lessons, to teach people who were dead. In 1913 the Amsterdam Swimming Club issued certificates that were continued nationwide. On June 14, 1908, the first rescue brigade was born in Den Bosch.

On March 3, 1913 there was a houseboat on the Oosterdoksdijk. Mr. and Mrs. v / d Akker were visiting for coffee and their four children were still sleeping on the houseboat. Inexplicably, the boat began to water and sank. On the ramparts side the distraught citizens watched and could do nothing. The Meyer brothers wanted to save the children by means of a dive, but were stopped by the police for fear of more victims. The four children died of drowning.

On April 10, 1913, the Meyer brothers gathered again in café Paleis Royal and the Amsterdam Rescue Brigade ARB was founded. Also on June 5, 1913 a Zandvoorter with his boat boomed through the Nieuwe Gracht. His boom slipped out of his hands, the skipper fell overboard and passers-by stood helpless again and could do nothing. The Haarlem Rescue Brigade was also established on June 26, 1913.

They wrote the following ad:

"Let every resident of Haarlem who can swim sufficiently and who has a dose of courage join the rescue brigade."

The Hague Voluntary Rescue Brigade was founded on October 28, 1915, and on September 16, 1917, the Dutch Bond Tot Redding Van Drenkelingen.

In 1923 the exams were set up on paper and also immediately recorded, so that one could have a national unit.

"After the war years, the Bond had 97 affiliated rescue brigades, which are now about 180 rescue brigades."

On May 18, 1950, Prince Bernhard announced himself as Patron of the Union.

A period of many meetings ensued. It was also recognized at government level that association life could not only consist of volunteers, there should also be paid employees. The subsidy valve was opened and the professionals were able to take a seat in the umbrella organizations. Much of Bond's work was done at home. In 1956, the Federal secretary Ms Claus moved to Haarlem at Koninginneweg 83, of which she rented her ground floor to the Bond. In this way, the KNBRD could grow. Over time, the building became too small and the KNBRD moved to Frans Halsstraat 8 in Haarlem. Years of cooperation with the Red Cross allowed the Association to grow and there is still good cooperation between these two organizations. On 10 September 1963, the Bondsvletten Central Depot in IJmuiden was founded with the technical man Karel Kras.

A Rescue Brigade is a genuine community interest since:

AS LONG AS EVERYONE CAN SWIM, EVERY SWIMMER SHOULD SAVE.