ABOUT US

The People Behind the Mission

We are a group of well-equipped and highly-trained volunteers who are ready 24x365 to rescue boaters in distress in the 90 square miles of water around Fripp Island and five neighboring barrier islands.

Crew Member Roles & Responsibilities

Boat Crew

  • Serve as crew on rescue and training missions, including Coast Guard rescue helicopter training missions 
  • Handle lines during dock departures and arrivals, and during towing operations 
  • Manage the dropping and weighing of anchors 
  • Operate the electronics aboard: chartplotters, radar, VHF radio, and 800MHz fire dispatch radio 
  • Qualify in all boat handling skills required of a helmsman (including following tracks, holding station, towing, departure and docking)
  • Take the helm on request of the Boat Duty Captain, or in the event of any on-board emergency
  • Render CPR and first aid as required to rescuees and fellow crew, including use of Stop-the-Bleed kits and AEDs.

Boat Duty Captain (BDC)

  • Serve as the primary boat captain during the duty week
  • Additional qualified boat captains and crews may be dispatched by the BDO as required per mission
  • Remain on Fripp Island during the duty week
  • Proceed directly to the dock and prepare the boat for departure at the onset of all missions
  • Command and supervise the safe operation the boat during missions keeping the safety of the crew, recuees and other boaters as top priority
  • Maintain constant communications during missions with the BDO and other agencies via 800 MHz radio, VHF radio, and cell phone.
  • Write a report summarizing each Coast Guard helo training mission.
  • Assist in training candidates for membership 

Base Duty Officer (BDO)

  • Serve as the primary operational point-of-contact for the organization during duty week
  • Establish base headquarters and manage missions during the duty week
  • Remain within the boundaries of Beaufort County during the duty week
  • Create the Weekly Crew Availability Chart for the duty week 
  • Staff and dispatch our boats based on mission requirements
  • Write and submit mission reports to the Skipper copying the Communications Officer

Organizations We Work With

Fripp Island Sea Rescue first responders work with an array of different agencies and organizations to augment our ability to assist boaters in distress, including:

  • US Coast Guard
  • Fripp Island Fire Department
  • Lady's Island - St. Helena Fire District
  • Fripp Island Security
  • Harbor Island Security
  • Hunting Island State Park
  • South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
  • Beaufort Water Search & Rescue
  • Beaufort County Sheriff's Office
  • Beaufort County Emergency Medical Services
  • Edisto Beach Marine Rescue

Officers

Harold Waller

First Mate

Join Us

We are always looking for Fripp residents to join us in our mission. Training classes start in the fall and continue through the winter, so that our newest members are ready to serve on patrols and missions when the busy season starts early spring.


Requirements: Fripp full-time or nearly full-time resident, boating and first responder experience preferred but not required, a willingness to learn our waters and methodologies, and above all, a desire to help other people in need, sometimes at an inconvenient time of day or night, and occasionally in a life-saving situation.


To inquire: call the Base Duty Officer at (843) 575-2443 any day, any time, or send an email to frippislandsearescue@gmail.com