A life-saving emergency service is looking for people to join its ranks as one of the busiest stations in the South West.
Weston Coastguard Rescue Team is looking for eager individuals with a range of availability to work as part of a tight-knit team, and with other emergency services, to help keep people safe on the coast.
Weston Coastguard is down to just seven members at the moment, but they help people on the coast, including those trapped on cliffs, those stuck in the mud and in the water.
They also assist searching for missing people and report and deal with pollution and other hazards.
Station officer Andy Sole said: “It is a massive commitment and Weston is short on numbers at the moment, we usually have 12 people and we currently have seven.
“Trainees will start their initial training in January or February and to get them ready for coastal work will be a few months later.
“We need to have the places filled by the summer and operationally ready.”
One of the most common calls for the coastguard is people who get stuck in the mud trying to reach the sea.
Weston’s branch of the coastguard has had almost 100 callouts this year, the majority of which took place in the summer including one day which featured four shouts.
Coastguard rescue officers could be called out at any time of the day or night and may have to work in hazardous situations for long hours.
Successful applicants will be trained in first aid, map work, search techniques, communications and skills needed for the local area, including water, rope and mud rescue.
A recruitment open evening will be held at the coastguard’s base, in Laneys Drove near the Helicopter Museum in Locking.
It will be held on Monday with two sessions at 7pm and another at 8pm where people can tour the station, ask questions and find out what makes Weston’s coastguard team tick.
Applications for the role close on November 1.
For full details about the recruitment session, search Weston Coastguard Rescue Team on Facebook and follow the link for Monday’s event.
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