Volunteer

We are a group of well-equipped and highly-trained volunteers who are ready 24×365 to rescue boaters in distress in the 90 square miles of water around Fripp Island and five neighboring barrier islands.

Volunteers are the foundation of Fripp Island Sea Rescue, serving in three key roles: Boat Crew, Boat Duty Captain, and Base Duty Officer. Boat Crew members handle on-water operations such as rescue missions, navigation, and first aid, while Boat Duty Captains lead missions and ensure crew safety. Base Duty Officers provide essential land-based support through communications, coordination, and mission tracking, ensuring the team operates as one.
Click here to inquire about how you can volunteer with us.

There are several ways you can contribute to our team.

Contact Us to Volunteer
Participation Level Options

Chief Executive Officer/Skipper

Provide organizational leadership by serving as the primary liaison with partner organizations, maintaining strong relationships, leading meetings, and driving member recruitment and retention.

Chief Operating Officer/First Mate

Support the Skipper by overseeing training, managing daily operations and communication systems, filling in during their absence, and assisting the Chief Marketing Officer to ensure financial sustainability for the organization.

Marketing/Fundraiser Officer

Manage marketing strategies, website, and social media to ensure consistent public messaging while aligning the Strategic Fundraising Plan to meet current and future revenue goals.

Communications Officer

Lead FISR’s brand, messaging, and digital strategy by managing promotional materials, media engagement, and public relations with key community partners.

Maintenance Officer

Ensure fleet readiness by overseeing maintenance and electronic systems, coordinating repairs and member training, and managing procurement of supplies and crew apparel.

Secretary

Maintain organizational compliance by recording and publishing meeting minutes and managing records in accordance with federal, state, and local requirements.

CFO/Treasurer

Manage all financial transactions, budgeting, and tax reporting while providing monthly status updates, donor acknowledgments, and required filings.

Other Support Roles

Training, Recruitment & Member Support

Recruiting & Onboarding Coordinator

Drive new member recruitment and outreach by leading community education efforts, managing onboarding and mentoring, and ensuring smooth integration into the organization.

Marketing, PR & Community Engagement

Marketing and Communications Lead

Coordinate all PR duties including relationships with Chamber of Commerce, Fripp Resort, and other partners

Online Auction Chair

Lead the annual Online Auction fundraiser by managing strategy, item donations, bidding systems, tracking, delivery, and coordinating promotion with the Revenue Officer and Marketing team.

Compliance & Risk Officer

Ensure compliance with all legal, operational, and safety regulations by managing risk protocols, waivers, insurance, and audits while preserving institutional knowledge and archives.

St. Paddy Golf Tournament Roles

Tournament Chair

The Tournament Director oversees the entire tournament, ensuring roles are filled, timelines are met, and standards are maintained. They recruit and guide role leads, lead planning meetings, approve budgets, and coordinate with FISR leadership and the golf course. Additionally, they manage event documents, resolve conflicts, fill gaps as needed, and lead post-event evaluation and debriefs.

Sponsorship Lead

The Sponsorship Lead secures all business and individual sponsorships, ensuring sponsors receive their benefits while maintaining accurate records of outreach, pledges, and assets. They manage sponsor communications, confirm logos and placements across materials, and collaborate with Marketing to highlight sponsors publicly. Additionally, they work with Finance on payment handling and actively seek new sponsorship opportunities each year.

Marketing & Communications Lead

The Marketing Lead manages all event communications, collateral, and social presence, ensuring consistent branding under “911 On The Water.” They create and schedule promotional materials, coordinate with Sponsorship to feature sponsors, and oversee signage, banners, and digital outreach. Additionally, they handle participant communications, providing confirmations, directions, and instructions to ensure a smooth experience.

Registration Lead

The Registration Lead manages player registration from sign-up through event-day check-in, maintaining accurate records of contact details, shirt sizes, and payment status. They coordinate confirmations and payment tracking, prepare check-in materials, and lead the registration team on tournament day to welcome players, confirm payments, distribute materials, and handle last-minute transactions.

Logistics Lead

The Logistics Lead manages all physical aspects of the tournament, including supplies, signage, and course setup. They coordinate with the golf course on layout and contest holes, secure and transport necessary materials, and oversee setup and takedown. Additionally, they ensure sponsor signage and banners are correctly placed and complete a site walk-through prior to the event to finalize logistics.

Volunteer Coordinator

The Volunteer Coordinator recruits and manages all event-day volunteers, ensuring they are properly trained, scheduled, and supported. They assign roles, provide orientation and materials, and serve as the point of contact during the event while making sure volunteers are comfortable, fed, and rotated as needed.

Contest Lead

The Contest Coordinator plans and manages all on-course contests, ensuring prizes and sponsor signage are secured and displayed. They oversee contest execution and announce winners during the post-tournament awards program.

Finance Lead

The Finance Lead manages all tournament income and expenses, maintaining accurate records for donations, registrations, and event-day funds. They set and update the budget with the Chair, provide receipts and thank-yous, handle deposits, ensure compliance with FISR practices, and report financial status at planning meetings.
Contact Us to Volunteer
Participation Level Options

Our Rescue Team and Community Partners

Fripp Island Sea Rescue relies on trained volunteers serving in three key roles: Boat Crew, Boat Duty Captain, and Base Duty Officer. Together they provide coordinated response during emergencies, with Boat Crew managing on-water operations, Duty Captains leading missions, and Base Officers supporting communication and logistics.

Our first responders also work closely with many partner agencies to extend our reach and resources. These include the U.S. 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 EMS, and Edisto Beach Marine Rescue.

Through these partnerships, Fripp Island Sea Rescue is able to respond effectively to emergencies ranging from medical incidents to search and rescue operations. This network of skilled volunteers and agencies provides a vital safety net for everyone on and around the waters of Fripp Island.

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-supporting situation.

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