Volunteer as a coastguard

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What the Coastguard Rescue Service does

The Coastguard Rescue Service is made up of volunteers and is part of HM Coastguard.

As a coastguard rescue officer you may have to:

  • help rescue people trapped on the coast, for example on cliffs, stuck in mud or in the water
  • search for missing people
  • observe and report pollution and other hazards such as cliff erosion
  • help emergency services and local authorities during emergencies, for example flooding
  • gather information for the coastguard operations centre
  • go to schools, clubs and other public places to tell people about staying safe at sea and along the coast
  • carry out duties for the Receiver of Wreck, for example dealing with wreckage or dead whales and dolphins on the shoreline