Picture: Daniel Forsyth. Image No.043034
SAVING lives, learning new skills and being part of a team – these are all in a day’s work for the Coastguard, who are looking for new volunteers to join up. A recruitment campaign is urging people aged 18-65, who have a full driving licence and are fit enough to pass a basic medical, to get in touch and find out how they could make a difference to their community. Senior coastal operations officer Colin Wood, who is based at Buckie Coastguard station, said: “We’re looking for all types of people from all walks of life, people who can work in a team. “The main skills we look at teaching in Buckie are searching for missing people, water rescue and rope rescue. “Obviously, we rely on the good will of employers to allow these volunteers to leave when their pager goes, but businesses benefit too; coastguards learn and develop transferable skills, including first aid, teamwork, leadership and responsibility.” Two or three new recruits are needed to join the ninestrong team in Buckie, with initial training taking place in Aberdeen over two weekends in June. Signing up is a move that deputy station officer Michael Chisholm (36), who has been with the Coastguard for 16 years, and 43-year-old new face rescue officer John Murray, who joined last July, have never regretted. Mr Chisholm, who lives in Portknockie, said: “It was the idea of helping my community that first attracted me, so I joined up and have loved it ever since; every shout and training session is different. “I work as a store manager, which can be high pressure, but it’s nothing compared to what you have to deal with as a coastguard, the training helps you stay calm under pressure. “We’re ll a team here, the only time rank comes into it is when you’re running an incident.” Buckie-based Mr Murray, who
works offshore, said that many
of the skills he uses as a coastguard, in particular rope rescue work,
dovetail with some of his roles on his rig. “I had thought about joining the Coastguard a few years ago,” he said. “Some of my mates were on the
lifeboat but I didn’t fancy that; when the opportunity came up to join the Coastguard I made the move. “It’s good to be part of the team in Buckie, it’s like a second family here.” To find out more, visit the Coastguard Facebook page or email Area3@mcga.gov.uk