the rnli is a charity. two-thirds of its funding comes from money left in people's wills. most of its crew members are volunteers. the rnli has 237 lifeboat stations and 444 lifeboats. these are boats that travel from the shore to rescue people at sea, rather than lifeboats that are used for escaping from a ship. their crews rescued on average 22 people a day in 2015. the rnli also provides beach lifeguards and flood rescue teams.