Robin Blandford saves lives on the cliffs of Ireland and through the Internet worldwide

I am pleased to feature Robin Blandford in this Monday's weekly "why do you serve" segment as we kick off week three of the April "Spotlight on Leadership" campaign.  This week's focus is on "decision making and problem solving," and it is in this area that Robin has really done some fantastic work.  Drawing on personal experiences serving in the Irish Coast Guard, he and his colleagues developed the really excellent "Decisions for Heroes" web-based search and rescue team management software (scroll down for a video demo).  Invoking the mantra that "better decisions save lives," Robin serves the public need at work by day and as a volunteer on the cliff's of Ireland.  When I asked him "why do you serve," he graciously responded with his thoughts below...

My serving others really kicked off when I started to enjoy my leadership role as a Patrol Leader in Scouting. I continued on to become a Scout Leader, and serve voluntarily at international camps and centres in a leadership role. The enjoyment of serving others with a good time and education is phenomenal. Through scouting, I became a first aider and continued to advance those skills and my leadership by joining a Search & Rescue team.

My voluntary unit of the Irish Coast Guard serve as a 4th Emergency Service to the State. We offer a blue light high-angle sea cliff and technical rescue service and safety patrols and advice to anyone in our community in danger on on the cliffs, coast, sea, lakes and rivers. Volunteering takes many hours each week - and many are spent in cold conditions searching, preparing, or just waiting - far from the excitement. So why do I serve?

I think serving in an unpaid rescue team draws people for two reasons - you come for the opportunity to help your community, you stay for the camaraderie. The opportunity to help your community and save lives is a given - but the camaraderie of your colleges - the experiences you have together form very tight bonds. The camaraderie makes good of those long through the night and work the next morning searches. The camaraderie makes the false starts for hoaxes at 4am ok. The camaraderie means you gain yourself while still giving all you've got.

I serve because I gain a little while others gain a lot. I gain friends, a purpose, and a reason - others gain their survival.

The Decisions for Heroes demo video is below, check it out and consider employing it if you're in this line of work. Robin, thank you for your thoughts here, and thank you for your service!