Coast Guard Recruitment

limericklad87

Anyone got any information. Not really in a position to volunteer due to location.

Hartyk87

I have been waiting for recruitment for a while and no sign of any. I have telephoned and all but no luck.

Please please let me know if any.

Hooch

The Irish Coast Guard is generally manned by volunteers (56 units around the country)
The full time jobs are radio operators (approx 80), IrCG management (operational training officers 2, polution officer 1, director Chris Renyolds, SAR officer 1 etc etc.

The Rescue helicopters are on a tender, presently to CHC helicopters. Tender is up next year and is worth nearly half a billion euro. So the crews are working for them. You have to apply directly to CHC for jobs. Usually they staff is transfered from company to company if tender is lost by one company (ie Irish Helicopters to CHC etc).

To become a radio officer you must have a GMDSS radio certificate (ships radio officer) and serve 2-3 years on a ship and include the rank of second in command of that ship. Most come from Navy or merchant navy.

IrCG recently advertised for three more operational training officers and in Feb they took on three store managers in the stores in Blanch.

So in short there are no full time jobs in IrCG really. Volunteer is the only way to go really.

On Volunteering you will be accepted if your within 45 mins of a station. Limerick lad try Ballybunion, busy group. Also Limerick Search and Recovery, who got declared reasource status last year, but they have a long waiting list. No harm in trying though.

djtechnics1210

nice guy always wrote: »

On Volunteering you will be accepted if your within 45 mins of a station. .

Is that the case with all their stations.... 45 minutes seems very long in an emergency.
I always thought it was far less.
Ya learn something new everyday

djtechnics1210

This is what it says on department of transport page

"All Units are operated totally by local crews (live within 10 minutes of the Stationhouse) who give freely of their valuable time and effort to the Coast Guard, local community and 'those in peril on the sea', cliffs and coasts of Ireland. Training is provided for the volunteers, and these are available on-call, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A building programme to upgrade the Units' station houses is on-going"

Hooch

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

Is that the case with all their stations.... 45 minutes seems very long in an emergency.
I always thought it was far less.
Ya learn something new everyday

djtechnics1210 wrote: »

This is what it says on department of transport page

"All Units are operated totally by local crews (live within 10 minutes of the Stationhouse) who give freely of their valuable time and effort to the Coast Guard, local community and 'those in peril on the sea', cliffs and coasts of Ireland. Training is provided for the volunteers, and these are available on-call, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A building programme to upgrade the Units' station houses is on-going"

45 minutes is the longest allowed. This is due to the fact that not all calls can be dealt with in the first instance i.e. a search for a missing person or a cliff rescue (which takes nearly 20-30 mins to set up after arrival at an incident site)

These members wouldnt be considered first response personnel but support members.

The RNLI have a hugely lower limit (due to the fact they only respond to incidents and will not preform extended searches) Also retained fire service must be within 3-5 miles from station.

civildefence

The Coast Guard were advertising for various full time positions about 3 months ago on publicjobs.ie. I doubt it'll happen again for a while with the state of this economy.

Trotter

There seems to be a ban on taking in volunteers for the coast guard due to 'cut backs'? Does anyone have an idea when recruitment might start again? For the ground units of the coast guard, do you have to be available 24/7? How does the actual call out system work? Thanks!

Hooch

Trotter wrote: »

There seems to be a ban on taking in volunteers for the coast guard due to 'cut backs'? Does anyone have an idea when recruitment might start again? For the ground units of the coast guard, do you have to be available 24/7? How does the actual call out system work? Thanks!

Recruitment ban was lifted for the Irish Coast Guard shortly after it came in so whoever told you that is bluffing. I put in papers for a lad a month ago and hes now a member. The unit could have its full compliment.

No you dont have to be available 24/7 but in a year if you missed ever single call the you could be knocked off the team. Units operate off a pager system set off by one of the three MRCC's depending on your area. All pagers go off together (unless the MRCC only set off officer pagers, that is officer in charge and deputy officer in charge)

What part of the country are you in and whats your local unit??

Trotter

The cutbacks thing was just something I read about but I'm lucky enough to be within the time limit for 3 or 4 stations. If the units are full of course, I'd have to wait until there are vacancies I expect. I didn't realise there was a limit on the number of volunteers although it makes sense. Thanks for the info, I'll have a chat with the lad in charge and sit tight til a vacancy comes along.

Hooch

Trotter wrote: »

The cutbacks thing was just something I read about but I'm lucky enough to be within the time limit for 3 or 4 stations. If the units are full of course, I'd have to wait until there are vacancies I expect. I didn't realise there was a limit on the number of volunteers although it makes sense. Thanks for the info, I'll have a chat with the lad in charge and sit tight til a vacancy comes along.

Ya depends on the teams capabilities. I.E. if they are only a search team they may only have 10 members where as a cliff rescue team needs more and can be up to 25-30 members. Depends on number of calls also. Its down to money for outfitting a volunteer in the PPE and number one uniform.

Best of luck with getting in, if its an active unit you'll have a ball and wont look back!

Trotter

Fantastic, thanks a lot. Fingers crossed I'm not waiting for years! I thought I'd have to buy the gear myself. I didn't realise there's a number one uniform either. What is the standard issued equipment? Is the PPE the high vis suit? Also, is there anything I can be doing or reading up on while I'm on the waiting list? Thanks again.

Hooch

Trotter wrote: »

Fantastic, thanks a lot. Fingers crossed I'm not waiting for years! I thought I'd have to buy the gear myself. I didn't realise there's a number one uniform either. What is the standard issued equipment? Is the PPE the high vis suit? Also, is there anything I can be doing or reading up on while I'm on the waiting list? Thanks again.

PPE includes boiler suit (pain in ass), Jacket, waterproof trousers, navy fleese, boots and a climbing helmet.

Operational uniform is navy combats with a navy shirt and baseball hat.

Number ones is black shoes, white shirt, black tie and a black jumper or tunic depending on event.

Have a look at this unit for photos of uniforms

http://www.droghedacoastguard.com/Drogheda_Coast_Guard/About_the_unit.html

And this one for whats thought by most units (some take on extra training)

http://doolincoastguard.com/?page_id=392

Trotter

Wow! Thats a serious amount of kit. I presume I'd have to prove my dedication to a unit in training before I'd get it all.

Hooch

Trotter wrote: »

Wow! Thats a serious amount of kit. I presume I'd have to prove my dedication to a unit in training before I'd get it all.

Not really tbh as you need PPE to train. Its all insurance

Trotter

nice guy always wrote: »

Not really tbh as you need PPE to train. Its all insurance

Insurance is the problem for any organisation I suppose. Well fingers crossed I'll get the nod this year sometime. Cheers!