As one of New Zealand's 63 Coastguard units across Aotearoa, Coastguard Queenstown, maintains, and operates their own dedicated rescue vessel. These amazing volunteers respond to the call for help 24 hours a day 7 days a week across Queenstown. Last year, Coastguard Queenstown volunteers responded to 12 calls for help, and are the reason 2 people came home safely.

What’s involved in becoming a Coastguard Rescue Vessel volunteer? We’re looking for reliable, committed, team-spirited and motivated people to crew our vessels so we can continue to save lives at sea. We provide all the extensive online and practical training that fits with your schedule and work commitments to bring you up to speed!

What we’re looking for from you?

• Good all-rounders who can contribute to a team environment.
• Physically and mentally fit. Often you can be out for many hours in extreme weather and sea conditions and we need to know you can cope with these stresses.
• Ability to understand and follow instructions.
• Ability to work with equipment such as stretchers, pumps, and rescue equipment.
• Ability to swim and tread water.
• Willingness to be available short notice, at all times of the day and night. (Crewing rosters mean you would not be expected to be available 24/7 except on your agreed duty days).

An added bonus is if you:

• live within a 15-20-minute drive (off-peak) from our base at Queenstown, experience (not essential).
• have boating experience (not essential as we will give you the training and skills you need at no cost).

Our promise in return:

• The excitement and challenge of life on the water, on shore or in the air
• First class training
• Leadership and teamwork skills
• Risk assessment experience
• Personal development
• Clear pathways for progression
• New friendships with like-minded people
• An incredibly rewarding experience
• Become part of a team making a difference in Aotearoa

What happens next? Once we have received your application form, our Unit Crew Coordinator will be in touch to have a chat to you a little more about what the role entails, how we operate and our expectations. This will give you a chance to ask questions and see if it's a great fit for you.

Then it’s time to come along and spend some time on the unit where we will get you involved in a training session or two and then the best part of getting you out on the water to test your sea legs. From there we’ll talk about next steps with your application.

Heads up: acceptance as a Coastguard Volunteer is subject to a clean Police Vetting Report being received and also the passing of the In Water Survivability test.