Everything in Smith Point Sea Rescue’s 2026 exhibit in the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum is designed to educate the public about their free, all-volunteer service to boaters and the community.

The signal flags hanging above their exhibit spell out their motto letter by letter: “There When Needed.”

Sea Rescue has been saving lives and boats for more than 50 years. As from the beginning, they are all volunteers. There is no paid staff yet they are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

As a non-profit, they operate primarily on donations from the community, a few grants, and their annual oyster roast.

It costs up to $800-$900 on average every time they respond, but boaters who call for assistance are never charged, said Don Stone, Sea Rescue president and a captain.

With almost everyone having a cell phone, most calls for help go to 911 and are dispatched by the Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office. Their service area is from Coles Point across and down the Potomac River, spanning across the Chesapeake Bay to Smith and Tangier islands and extending south to Windmill Point.

Stone said they average 50-60 calls a year, from engine failures and groundings to sinking boats where lives are at risk. One such recent event was the rescue of eight people after their boat sank in cold water. After pulling them into the rescue boat, Pete Ortiz, one of the crew that day, huddled next to a man suffering from hypothermia to help warm him. Ortiz, a retired Marine, joined Sea Rescue in 2019 and serves as treasurer.

The squad members all serve as crew and/ or captains on a rotating basis: one captain and two crew members for one week every four weeks.

During their duty time, they stay within 20 minutes of Reedville or Lottsburg where the three fully-equipped rescue boats are docked.

The schedule sounds daunting to prospective volunteers, said Bill Turville, board member and a captain. “It’s a commitment, but it’s a commitment that can be worked with,” said Turville, a retired Navy captain who joined Sea Rescue after retiring here 13 years ago.

The schedule can make it difficult for working people to volunteer, so members often reach out to “new retirees who have the time and interest to help. That was the case for Stone, who joined after retiring about 10 years ago and knowing about the squad from a neighbor volunteer.

There are about 40 volunteers, including eight captains. Kendra Simpson is the senior captain. Everyone knows where the captains are at all times, said Turville.

Mark Meservey, secretary, joined in 2024. He is a retired Coast Guard captain with extensive experience in search and rescue, so Sea Rescue was a fitting extension of his service. “I view it as a commitment to the community,” he said.

“The captains are very detailed and thoughtful about when to launch,” said Meservey.

Training is continuous. In the rare week where there is no call for help, the duty captain and crew are out on the water at least once for training. Several members recently participated in a week-long search and rescue forum with about 160 other first responders and 35 rescue and response vessels.

After each response they review what they did and what they might have done differently or better.

They take periodic refresher training in CPR and first aid and carry an AED on each boat. If they know there is a medical emergency on the call, they don’t leave the dock without a county EMT on board.

As well as emergency response, Sea Rescue members in their yellow shirts are often found out in the community. For instance, they go to farmers’ markets, assist in river and roadside cleanups, and are on the water for events such as the cardboard boat regatta.

Their exhibit at the museum, put together in large part by Simpson and Turville, features memorabilia, awards and photos from their rescues and community service.

The museum is at 504 Main St., Reedville. Hours until late May are 11 am.-4 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The museum will also be open 1-4 p.m. Sundays from Memorial Day Sunday (May 24) through Labor Day Sunday (Sept. 6). Hours from then to season closing will again be 11 am.-4 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Photo: Smith Point Sea Rescure