Long serving Exmouth RNLI crew volunteer, Chris Sims, has been awarded the bar to his 20 year RNLI service medal having completed 30 years service to the lifesaving charity.
Chris, who joined first joined Exmouth RNLI as a volunteer 30 years ago today on 23rd August 1993, has served in numerous lifesaving roles during his exemplary career as RNLI crew. These included a fully qualified inshore and all weather lifeboat crew member, inshore and all weather lifeboat navigator, inshore lifeboat mechanic as well as qualified first aider and casualty care operative. He was presented with the RNLI 20 year exemplary service medal in 2013.
Presenting the medal bar and silver pin badge to Chris at a volunteer event at Exmouth Lifeboat Station last weekend, Deputy Coxswain Roger Jackson described him as a very popular member of the crew, thanked him for his outstanding service and said that he could describe Chris in one word – ‘dependable’, meaning reliable, steady and trustworthy.
In reply, Chris recognised the many volunteers at Exmouth Lifeboat Station, all of whom played a role in keeping the local lifeboat charity at the fore of the organisation.
Chris, 56, is married to Karen and has an 18 year old daughter, Elizabeth and 16 year old son, Matthew. He said “Crew families are so important and I’m very grateful to have had the support of mine over the whole period I have been a lifeboat volunteer. It’s sometimes not all that easy when you elect to respond to an emergency in the middle of a family outing, so a very special thank you must go to them. I have thoroughly enjoyed my RNLI volunteering and look forward to many more years of service.”
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