Dr Eric McLarty, a well known former Salcombe GP, began his association with the RNLI as an Honorary Medical Adviser in 1973 requiring him to respond, along with the volunteer lifeboat crew members, to rescues involving the sick or injured at sea although some would say that having delivered some members of the lifeboat crew at birth his association began much earlier!

 

Dr McLarty became Chairman in 2000 and has seen the lifeboat station experience significant changes in recent years including a major building project to house a new inshore lifeboat, a shoreside pontoon for the all weather lifeboat to speed up the launch time and finally the arrival of the ‘state of the art’ £2.7 million lifeboat ‘Baltic Exchange III’ in March of this year. In September the station also saw Graham Parker take over the reigns as Lifeboat Operations Manager from the retiring Capt Peter Hodges after 19 years in charge.

 

Richard Selby, RNLI Press Officer, said ‘for a lifeboat station to experience such an enormous amount of change in such a short period is unprecedented. Dr McLarty and Peter Hodges between them have nurtured the station and it’s volunteer crew through these times to a degree where the station continues to save lives at sea using the most advanced lifeboats and equipment available. Their dedication and commitment has been outstanding for which we thank them very much indeed.’