Those living in the West Wight are being urged to consider joining The Needles Coastguard Rescue Team as the life-saving organisation look to recruit new volunteers.
Men and woman aged 18 or over who live or work in Freshwater, Yarmouth or the surrounding areas are urgently needed to help boost the number of Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) operating in the West Wight.
HM Coastguard work to prevent the loss of life on the coast and at sea and provide a 24-hour maritime search and rescue service around the UK coast, including here on the Isle of Wight. In total 3 rescue teams operate on the Island from Bembridge, Ventnor and The Needles.
CROs respond to coastal emergencies at any time of the day or night, 365 days a year. Incidents can include searching for vulnerable missing persons, carrying out cliff and water rescues and responding to small craft in distress.
Coastguards meet and train at least 1 evening a week, including some weekends, and potential recruits should ideally live or work within 10 minutes drive from the Coastguard Station at Lanes End, Totland. In addition, Coastguard Rescue Officers must also get permission from employers to leave work to attend life-saving emergencies. A minimum wage reimbursement is paid to cover expenses, however the role is primarily voluntary.
All applicants should be in good health with a reasonable standard of fitness and hold a UK driving licence with less than 6 penalty points.
Anyone interested in joining the team should contact The Needles’ Station Officer, Tom Wyeth, by emailing [email protected]. You can also get in touch via the team’s Twitter and Facebook accounts.
Those expressing interest will be invited along to observe what the team get up to during a training session, with no pressure to commit.
