Salcombe RNLI has been celebrating women in search and rescue.

The station currently benefits from a strong mix of both sea-going and shore-based volunteers, including an increasing number of women who bring diverse skills, perspectives, and resilience to lifesaving operations.

Salcombe Lifeboat Station is proud to highlight the crucial role of its female crew as the RNLI with a dedicated Training Week recently at the RNLI College in Poole.

The week also incorporates leadership development, networking, and scenario based problem solving sessions.

Previous programmes have included workshops on confidence building, decision making, personal leadership, and effective communication during high pressure operations—skills vital for all SAR volunteers, regardless of their role at the station.

Search and rescue at sea demands adaptability.

Conditions at sea can vary significantly—from calm estuary launches to challenging offshore storms—requiring crews to apply different techniques depending on the scenario.

The Women in SAR events reinforce these principles through:

Simulated capsize and recovery drills, life raft survival training, and vessel abandonment practice, offering volunteers firsthand experience of the conditions casualties may face, and the skills needed to respond safely and effectively.

These sessions are enhanced by the diversity of stations represented—from coastal towns like Salcombe to larger urban stations—ensuring that crew members learn not only from the formal curriculum but also from each other’s lived experiences.

The RNLI continues to see growth in female representation across operational roles, with women now serving as helms, navigators, sea going crew, shore crew, launch vehicle drivers, and launch authorities.

As one recent participant described, being surrounded by women from across the UK and Ireland—each united by a shared commitment to saving lives at sea—is both empowering and deeply motivating, reinforcing the importance of representation and continued support within the lifesaving community.

To find out more visit: https://salcombelifeboat.co.uk/