Two volunteer shore crew members at Teignmouth Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) have successfully passed out after completing their training.

Teignmouth Lifeboat Station’s lifeboat operations manager Andy Lilburn and recent recruit Sara Marshall have qualified as shore crew.

The shore crew qualification extends Andy’s skillset. ‘Although I’ve been involved in launching lifeboats in the launch authority role, going through the formal shore crew training has allowed me to support the team in another role, when needed, to safely launch our lifeboat to those in need,’ Andy said.

Recent recruit, Sara Marshall, who joined as a volunteer last June, has followed the RNLI pathway from trainee to qualified shore crew and gained vital skills to support the safe launch and recovery of the lifeboat during shouts and training exercises.

‘It feels great to have passed out as shore crew,’ Sara commented. ‘The rest of the team have been really supportive, and I’ve learned so much from them. Everyone’s been so welcoming and helpful, I’m proud to be part of the crew and I'm looking forward to contributing to saving lives at sea.’

The final assessment for Andy and Sara covered both theory and practical tasks, testing knowledge of procedures, safety, communication, and teamwork. Shore crew play a crucial role in every launch, ensuring the lifeboat can launch effectively and safely to save lives at sea whenever the pager sounds.

The successful completion of shore crew training reflects the ongoing commitment of Teignmouth RNLI volunteers to remain prepared and capable, both onshore and at sea.

Volunteer Rachel Palmer has also passed her Tier 2 assessment to become a fully qualified crew member.