Alex Broad joined the crew in late summer last year.
She moved to Guernsey in 2022 from the UK to work as a nurse and said that one of her ambitions was to become a member of the lifeboat crew.
‘I have always been weirdly obsessed with the lifeboat, even when I lived in London, and back in May I saw an advert for volunteer crew,’ she said.
‘I don’t have much of a boating background but I have been out under instruction, and being a nurse I have a good medical background, I’m a life support trainer and life support giver.’
The three other new crew members – George Melbourne, Luke Le Poidevin, and Luke Robert – all joined at the same time as Miss Broad.
‘There were a few of us who started at the same time, so while me being the first female is the big deal that's being made of it, I’m also just one of the team which is really nice,’ she said.
‘They have been very accommodating to me. I have been blown away by how lovely everyone is.
‘What’s been really lovely is that the crew have been really kind and patient showing me how to do everything.
‘Give me a person injured and I’ll be fine, but they have really taken the time to show me the ropes.’
Mr Melbourne is a skipper and Mr Le Poidevin an engineer and both work for Isle of Sark Shipping.
Mr Robert works for Travel Trident, bringing valuable expertise as a former naval engineer and commercial diver.
During the first few weeks of training, the volunteers learn the layout of the lifeboat station and lifeboats, health and safety protocols, personal protective equipment, operational procedures, VHF radio communications, RNLI commitments, teamwork and ropework. The trainees then move on to undertaking exercises to prepare them for going to sea on lifeboat shouts.
The RNLI has also presented long-service medals to three members of the lifeboat crew for 30 years each of dedicated service to the local station.
Operations manager Richard Evans said that the lifeboat was fortunate to have such a dedicated, committed and experienced crew as Robert Alder, Carl Bisson, and John Le Tissier.
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