Lifeboat Station
The Crew
The Lifeboat Crew ready for action
There are nineteen voluntary members of Hastings Lifeboat Station. There are six crew members on the all- weather lifeboat and three for the inshore lifeboat. Although they're from a variety of occupations they all have one thing in common - they're all completely passionate and dedicated to the lifeboat.
All volunteers begin as 'launchers'. This is to give them a taster of what will be expected of them and to find out if they take to it. Hastings Lifeboat is launched from the beach and is taken down to the water's edge by the tractor. When it's called out in an emergency, it can be at sea within five minutes of the crew being present.
Training as a lifeboat crew member is on-going. New volunteers will initially be part of the launching team and can work their way up to be crew members if the coxswain feels they have the right qualities.
There's a training session every Thursday - one week out at sea and one week on shore. Volunteers learn about the boat, first aid, radar navigation, seamanship, launching and just about anything else to do with the boat and the job. Preparation for all events is the key and are practices are carried out during the lifeboat practice sessions. Each crew member is also trained to that no member is completely indispensable - even the coxswain.
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