The Coastguard Rescue Service (CRS) is made up of volunteers who carry out rescues and help those in distress around our coast.
Volunteering with the service is a rewarding role that supports and gives back to your local community.
As a coastguard rescue officer you will receive regular training and be part of a team that works together to save lives.
You can find out more about the role and how to apply online on GOV.UK.
Safety is our number one priority.
All our coastguard rescue officers complete essential training before joining the team.
We provide all the equipment and protective clothing required for the role and you’ll also receive regular training to keep your skills up to date.
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Training can include:
first aid
water rescue
map work
search techniques
communications
You need to be in good general health to carry out physically demanding tasks in hazardous situations.
You can apply if:
You need to be reasonably fit, you must also:
weigh 120kg or less
have a waist measurement of 110cm or less
You will need to complete a health and fitness test, and meet eyesight and hearing requirements.
If you have Type 1 diabetes, there may also be restrictions on what activities you can do.Â
What is your favourite part of the job?
The team. The morale and the teamwork we have is just amazing. It’s not just volunteers or people that we work with, it’s a family and we’re all there for each other.
What safety advice would you offer someone visiting the coast?
Always check the tide times before you go. Also if you’re walking and it gets a bit muddy, don’t keep going! Even if it means walking further, it’s not worth the risk of getting caught in the mud, especially if the tide’s coming in because that could be fatal.
What made you want to join?
I was always interested in anything to do with the sea as well as search and rescue. My dad was in the Navy as a radio operator too, so I suppose my dad was my inspiration really. It’s all I ever wanted - I ended up joining in 1980 and I've been here ever since.
What sort of incidents have you been involved with?
I've been involved with all sorts - pollution exercises, large searches, missing aircraft, mud rescues, water rescues and pretty much anything the Coastguard does.
What do you do outside of your role as a coastguard?
I work for Scarborough Hospital as a healthcare assistant. It works out quite well, as we’ve all got different skills which all come together in the role as a coastguard.
How do you feel about being a coastguard with the rest of your family?
Quite proud. We put a lot of time in, so where our whole family is involved it means we get to spend time together as a family, on jobs as well as training, so it works out well. When we get paged, we can all just leave together, we just put our knives and forks down and we’re gone!
What made you want to join HM Coastguard?
I enjoy being outside and I'm always down by the sea. I’m also local so I can get to the station very quickly. I really enjoy it, it’s the best thing I've ever done and I can give back to the community too. I just wish I'd done it sooner!
What sort of incidents have you been involved with?
There’s a real big array but it's anything involving people who need our assistance, from search and rescue or missing people to assisting with helicopter landings.
How do you feel about being part of the coastguard?
It's like another little family, I love it. We all get along really well as a team and we all stick together, even on incidents and training, and I'd recommend it to anyone.
What safety advice would you offer someone visiting the coast?
Keep away from the cliff edge because the cliffs do overhang, which you can't see from where you’re stood. They're also quite unstable, especially when it rains. Also, if you have a dog I would always say to keep the dog on a lead along the cliffs.
