An appeal for volunteers has been launched after a busy summer following a staycation boom.
HM Coastguard is now recruiting for new Coastguard Rescue Officer volunteers to join the Coastguard Rescue Service in areas across Cumbria, with opportunities open in Burgh by Sands, Maryport, Whitehaven, Millom, Furness and Arnside.
Each day is different as a volunteer with HM Coastguard. Coastguard Rescue Teams are made up entirely of specially-trained and equipped volunteers who are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to a wide range of emergency incidents, including people needing help in the water, mud rescues, helicopter operations, and missing person searches.
Officers can be called out in all-weather conditions and may have to work in hazardous situations as well as carry out physically demanding tasks. This past summer and with a rise in people visiting coastal hotspots and holidaying in the UK, coastguard teams have been very busy responding to incidents at the coast.
Thanks to the continued commitment of volunteers – the service is always there and ready to respond. In an emergency situation at the coast – call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Andy Peacock, senior coastal operations officer for HM Coastguard in North West England and North Wales, said: “Our Coastguard Rescue Officer volunteers are at the heart of absolutely everything we do in delivering our dedicated search and rescue service along the UK’s coastline.
“Our volunteers play a vital role in serving and supporting local communities in which they work and live – helping to keep people safe in coastal areas and also by assisting our emergency service colleagues and partners such as the RNLI and independent lifeboats.
“We’re encouraging anyone who is interested in volunteering with us to get in touch and we are looking forward to welcoming new volunteers into the Coastguard Rescue Service in the near future.”
How to apply to be a volunteer for the coastguard
For those keen to join the Coastguard Rescue Service and volunteer – send a note of interest via email to [email protected] by October 31, including your name, age, current address and contact number.
Importantly, also specify which Coastguard Rescue Team you have an interest in joining in your local area. Once all details are received, a member of the Area Management Team will send out an application pack as soon as possible. For further information about what it is like to be a volunteer, visit: https://www.gov.uk/voluntee…/what-to-expect-as-a-volunteer.
