The ballsiest volunteer job

[308pirate]

Is being a member of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Unlike our US Coast Guard, Her Majesty's Coastguard does not have its own surf lifeboat component. HMCG is simply a search and rescue coordination agency with a small helicopter SAR force operated by civilian contractors.

The seaborne portion of the UK's SAR forces is made up mostly by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, a private charity which takes zero government money and is made up of a very small paid staff and the rest (including all lifeboat crews) are unpaid civilian volunteers.

If that makes you think they are somehow lacking in comparison to professionals such as our USCG Surfmen and lifeboat crews, you might want to think again.

 

[Clob McStrunk]

Well hell if that aint some cool shit

 

[Expert684]

Bristow Helicoters is contracted by the British Government to conduct air and sea search and rescue. I used to work for Bristow. They have more seat time in the North Sea in helicopters than the British Navy, and feel they are better??

 

[308Gunner]

Damn, they have some very large balls.

 

[308pirate]

Gents, in case you missed it............RNLI functions with nothing but private donations to cover 100% of its operating funds.

Similarly, pretty much all air ambulance services in the UK are private charities operating exclusively on donated funds.

Government pays them nothing at all.