Volunteers Needed

Have a yearning for the sea but don't have a boat? Want to gain some skills and qualifications in marine search and rescue? Not interested in getting out on the water but have some 'down time' and don't know what to do with it? We can help...

Coastguard Mana is currently on the hunt for more volunteers in order to bolster the ranks of current active volunteers that we already have. Recent search and rescue operations that have spanned several days have highlighted the fact that even though our current core 'crew' of highly dedicated people are capable of taking time off work and put their all into assisting with a major search, we still need greater numbers to ensure that our capacity to respond to all emergency callouts remains high.

And it's not just on the water where people are required - land based activities still make up a large component of any search and rescue operation. Not only do people have to get to the rescue boats and have the skills to get on the water, they also need to be sure that the equipment, procedures, maintenance, communications, planning, finances, etc are all taken care of so that they can get on with their job of 'Saving Lives at Sea'.

Here is a rough guide of the roles required to run the Coastguard Mana unit:

On the water

• Trainee Crew - No previous boating experience required. Will be inducted into the unit and will begin the CRV Crew training schedule. Will participate in on-the-water training activities until a suitable level of experience is gained.
• Operational Crew - Once operational they will participate as crew members on the rescue vessels during SAR operations. Ongoing training will include being put through Boatmaster certification, search techniques, on-scene command, GPS/Radar, boat handling, etc.
• Senior Crew - Has come up through the ranks to a point where they have completed all of the Coastguard training and have at least 75hrs of actual hours on a CRV.
• Master - Suitably qualified to be in charge of the rescue vessel and it's crew. Trained up to a high level in every aspect of seamanship as well as marine SAR to complete the Coastguard's Certificate of Competency (CoC) qualification -  equivalent to a Local Launch Operator's qualification + marine SAR.

Off the water

• Operations Manager - Ensures that boats and equipment are maintained to a high standard. Ensures that Health and Safety policies, including Safe Ship Management (SSM), are up to date and being adhered to. Coordinates the administrative side of managing crews during SAR operations, such as crew changes, ensuring everyone is fed, etc for long operations. Has the assistance of others to perform the specifics of maintenance, etc.
• Incident Management Team (IMT) - Initiates and runs SAR operations at the Unit level. Can be the first level of coordination or working under/alongside the NZ Police, RCCNZ or other on-scence-command agency/controller. Handles communications, search patterns, chartwork, etc from the base or other remote location - usually on land.
• Radio Operator
• Training Officer
• Finance
• Maintenance
• Fundraising / public awareness
• Media
• Webmaster
• Memberships
• Monthly reporting / statistics

We're a practical lot, but we can't do everything. While we are always on the lookout for rescue boat crew, it's the time and energy for running the unit that we are most eagerly looking out for.

If you would like help out then please click the following button to register as a volunteer:

Please remember that there is no fixed time commitment required. As long as you are willing and able to attend training sessions and provide some time on a semi-regular basis then tha's all that we require.