People from all walks of life from former CEOs and company directors to an ambulance driver and students are joining forces to save lives at sea as part of the crew of the Arbroath lifeboat.
However, the Arbroath RNLI are still looking for volunteers to join up with some crew due for retirement soon. Aged 17 to 58, members balance work and family life with responding to emergency calls around the clock, weekly training sessions and raising money to maintain a service all for free.
Scotland’s volunteer lifeboat crews rescued more than 900 people last year. During 2010 the Arbroath lifeboat was called out 37 times making 25 rescues. There are 32 on the crew in total after the waiting list was cleared at the start of the month with the latest influx.
Spokesman Ray Barton said, “At present we are very lucky to have a full complement, but that could change at a moment’s notice if someone gets a new job and has to move away for example. But there are times when like other stations we struggle to find volunteers to join us.
“However we are always on the lookout for new crew who can join our great team as we have some crew due for retirement soon so we will be looking for new volunteers to join us.
“People naturally want to do good for others. The RNLI can be seen as an exciting and rewarding way to do that.
“We also invest heavily into our volunteers especially their training. Not only that, it’s fun. We have a mixture of ages from 17 to 58 active on the crew at present and from all walks of life, from the unemployed to former company CEOs and directors.”
The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to fund its lifeboat and lifeguard service.
Mr Barton added, “Public funding for the RNLI is crucial, not only for its daily running costs or the training of the volunteer crew but to maintain its internationally recognised high standards and free service to the community.”
RNLI Scotland spokesman Richard Smith said, “The variety of trades is absolutely incredible and they are bringing in different elements to the crew. Less than 10% of lifeboat crew come from maritime backgrounds, so the RNLI provides the very best training to ensure they are well equipped to deal with a variety of situations.
“As well as being on call, our volunteers keep up to date with a training schedule that goes on all year round. The crew in Arbroath are also raising money and getting sponsorship and that’s highly commendable. Often fund-raising is done by other people and it’s especially pleasing when crews find time to do it themselves as well.”