The Coastguard in the Bay of Plenty is looking for new talent to fill 10 available positions so it can continue its life-saving work.

It takes a crew to save a life, with more than 2000 highly trained and skilled Coastguard volunteers ready to respond to calls for help day or night, says an appeal for volunteers from the marine organisation.

Coastguard Tautiaki Moana Volunteer Manager Jacqui Arnold says it doesn’t matter whether you’re a seasoned boatie who ventures out every weekend or someone who wants to stick closer to shore, there is a role for you with Coastguard.  

“Across diverse roles, backgrounds, and communities, our volunteers come together as one inclusive whānau, reflecting the Aotearoa we know and love,” she says. 

“Volunteering for Coastguard is more than just our on-water assistance. We have amazing shore crews from our radio operators to training coordinators whose efforts enable us to bring people home safely.” 

Over the last year, Coastguard volunteers in Bay of Plenty contributed a massive 41,972 hours, with 3340 hours exclusively dedicated just to incidents.

They responded to 281 incidents and assisted 652 people to get back home safely.   

“Our volunteers embody compassion and camaraderie, willingly exchanging the comfort of home or paid jobs to lend a helping hand when it's needed most,” says Jacqui.

This year, in the Bay of Plenty region, units are seeking: 

Tauranga:  

• Rescue Vessel Volunteer
• Unit Radio Operator  

Ōpōtiki:

• Shore Crew Volunteer 
• Rescue Vessel Volunteer    

Maketu:  

• Rescue Vessel Volunteer    

Waihi Beach:  

• Unit Radio Operator  

Whakatāne:  

• Rescue Vessel Volunteer
• Unit Radio Operator  

Whangamatā: 

• Unit Radio Operator
• Rescue Vessel Volunteer  

To learn more about volunteering with Coastguard and to apply to your local Unit, check out our dedicated volunteer website - https://volunteers.coastguard.nz