Largs Coastguard Rescue Team

17/02/2026

14/03/2025

Thanks to everyone who has expressed an interest already in joining our team as part of our campaign to recruit new volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers.

We will be hosting another open day event tomorrow, Saturday 15th March, between midday and 2pm at our rescue station at Unit 6, Keppenburn Workshops, Main Road, Fairlie, KA29 0AS.

Team members will be on hand to talk about the recruitment process, the roles, responsibilities and capabilities of HM Coastguard, showcase some of the team's rescue equipment and answer any questions about being a volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officer.

Events are subject to operational requirements and incident working.

Volunteering with us is a rewarding role that supports and gives back to your local community and you can make a real difference and help to save lives.

If you are interested in joining you must meet the following criteria:
🔞 Aged 18 or older.
🏠 Reside within 10/12 minutes of our Coastguard Rescue Station located in Fairlie
📂 Subject to Disclosure Scotland PVG background checks
🚗 Hold a full UK driving licence.

You must also be available to attend all training held at Greenock Fire Station on the following dates:
📆 Part 1: Monday 18th August 2025 to Friday 22nd August 2025
📆 Part 2: Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th September 2025
📆 Part 3: Saturday 27th September and Sunday 28th September 2025

For more information about the Coastguard Rescue Service and to find our online application form visit hmcoastguard.uk/volunteer

For enquiries email: [email protected]

Search and Rescue - it's what we do.



In a coastal emergency always dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

Largs & Millport News

07/03/2025

Recruitment Open Events - Largs Coastguard Station

As part of our current recruitment campaign for new volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers, we are hosting two open events at our rescue station at Unit 6, Keppenburn Workshops, Main Road, Fairlie, KA29 0AS.

The open events will take place on:
Wednesday 12th March - 7pm to 9pm
Saturday 15th March - midday to 2pm

Team members will be on hand to talk about the recruitment process, the roles, responsibilities and capabilities of HM Coastguard, showcase some of the team's rescue equipment and answer any questions about being a volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officer.

Events are subject to operational requirements and incident working.

Volunteering with us is a rewarding role that supports and gives back to your local community and you can make a real difference and help to save lives.

If you are interested in joining you must meet the following criteria:
🔞 Aged 18 or older.
🏠 Reside within 10/12 minutes of our Coastguard Rescue Station located in Fairlie
📂 Subject to Disclosure Scotland PVG background checks
🚗 Hold a full UK driving licence.

You must also be available to attend all training held at Greenock Fire Station on the following dates:
📆 Part 1: Monday 18th August 2025 to Friday 22nd August 2025
📆 Part 2: Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th September 2025
📆 Part 3: Saturday 27th September and Sunday 28th September 2025

For more information about the Coastguard Rescue Service and to find our online application form visit hmcoastguard.uk/volunteer

For enquiries email: [email protected]

Search and Rescue - it's what we do.



In a coastal emergency always dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

Largs & Millport News

05/03/2025

Recruitment Open – Largs Coastguard Rescue Team

Largs Coastguard Rescue Team is currently recruiting volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers and applications are now open online until 31st March 2025.

HM Coastguard is the UK's 999 maritime and coastal emergency service with Coastguard Rescue Teams made up entirely of specially trained and equipped volunteers who are on call 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year to respond to a wide range of emergency incidents. These can include persons in the water, technical rope rescue incidents, people stuck in mud at the coast, vulnerable missing person searches and response to flooding.

As a volunteer you won’t be paid however can claim a small amount for your time and expenses. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, then we want to hear from you.

Full training and equipment will be provided and no previous emergency service or maritime experience is required. You will receive training in a wide range of search and rescue disciplines including: Water Rescue, Technical Rope Rescue, Casualty Care, Missing Persons Search, Pyrotechnics & Ordnance Response and Blue Light and Off-Road Driving.

Volunteering with us is a rewarding role that supports and gives back to your local community and you can make a real difference and help to save lives.

If you are interested in joining you must meet the following criteria:
🔞 Aged 18 or older.
🏠 Reside within 10/12 minutes of our Coastguard Rescue Station located in Fairlie
📂 Subject to Disclosure Scotland PVG background checks
🚗 Hold a full UK driving licence.

You must also be available to attend all training held at Greenock Fire Station on the following dates:
📆 Part 1: Monday 18th August 2025 to Friday 22nd August 2025
📆 Part 2: Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th September 2025
📆 Part 3: Saturday 27th September and Sunday 28th September 2025

For more information about the Coastguard Rescue Service and to find our online application form visit hmcoastguard.uk/volunteer

For enquiries email: [email protected]

Search and Rescue - it's what we do.



In a coastal emergency always dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

Largs & Millport News

30/11/2024

KINGS CORONATION MEDAL

On Tuesday 26th November, Coastguard Rescue Officers from Largs Coastguard Rescue Team joined colleagues from across Area 4 West for a special medal presentation.

Team members were presented with the King’s Coronation Medal which is issued to all personnel who had achieved 5 years’ service with HM Coastguard as of 6th May 2023.

The ceremony was led by Divisional Commander Sue Todd & Area Commander Robbie Robertson and saw all personnel receiving the medal from The Lord Lieutenant for Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Colonel Peter McCarthy.

The UK issued more than 400,000 coronation medals, awarded to individuals who contributed to the coronation, recipients of the UK's highest honours, and select British military personnel, frontline emergency workers, and public prison service staff with five years of service. The British coronation medal was also gifted to a select number of Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders.

The medal design features a double portrait of Their Majesties on the front and a version of the Royal Cypher, a laurel wreath and the date of the Coronation on the reverse.

The ribbon is made up of red, blue and white vertical stripes - the colours of the Union Flag and are made of nickel silver and plated in nickel.

The tradition of Coronation Medals dates to the reign of King James I when the first Medal was awarded in 1603.



Search and Rescue - it's what we do.

In a coastal, beach or cliff emergency dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

23/09/2024

The Largs Coastguard Rescue Team joined emergency service and third sector colleagues at Largs Lifeboat station yesterday for a meet the teams event.

The event, organised by the Largs First Responder Unit, provided an opportunity for the public to meet the emergency response crews who cover Largs and surrounding areas, find out more about the lifesaving and life changing work of the emergency services, learn vital lifesaving skills and find out more about volunteer opportunities within the community.

It was also a great opportunity for the emergency service crews to catch up with each other in a non-incident working setting to chat through recent incidents, operational capabilities, upcoming events and continue to enhance the excellent inter-agency relations which exist across the blue light and volunteer sectors.

A huge thank you to everyone to came to speak with the team to find out about the work of HM Coastguard and how to stay safe when visiting the coast.

It's always a pleasure to catch up with our friends and colleagues from Largs Lifeboat, Largs First Responder Unit, Largs Fire Station Police Scotland Ayrshire Scottish Ambulance Service Largs Community Resilience Team and Glasgow and Clyde Raynet.



Search and Rescue – it’s what we do.

In a coastal emergency always dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

18/09/2024

Zero emissions and low emissions electric response vehicles, newly designed two-piece overalls for female coastguards, and search and rescue drones are all on display for HM Coastguard at this year's Emergency Services Show.

Visitors have the chance to learn more about the latest specialist kit and potential future technologies.

Assistant Chief Coastguard Richard Hackwell said: “HM Coastguard is always keen to look at evolving technology and identify its potential uses to further enhance search and rescue.

"The Emergency Services Show is our chance to really share more about what we do and how technology can help us to achieve it.”

18/08/2024

Red and white search and rescue helicopters are perhaps the most well-known and recognisable symbols of HM Coastguard.

HM Coastguard operates all civilian search and rescue helicopters in the UK, being called out to incidents on the water and along the coast, as well as to help with inland rescues where a helicopter is needed, such as mountain rescues.

Today we are honouring all of the brave crew members, pilots and winch paramedics who respond to these incidents and have dedicated their lives to saving the lives of others.

10/07/2024

Team were tasked at 7.16pm last night to a report of a paddleboard floating in the Largs Channel ‼️🚨📟

An eagle-eyed member of the public had spotted it on the water being carried quickly away from the breakwater of Largs Marina headed directly for Cumbrae and did exactly the right thing by calling 999 and asking for the Coastguard. ☎️ 9️⃣9️⃣9️⃣

Upon arrival on scene, the team performed an initial visual shoreline search from Ballochmartin Bay to Clashfarland Point with Largs Lifeboat tasked to search the water of the Largs Channel and Largs Coastguard Rescue Team searching from the shoreline on the mainland. 👀🔦🔎

With a clear view of the whole bay and nothing sighted, the teams search moved further South where they split into two separate groups to cover the rest of the East side of the islands coastline which meant battling through the heavy vegetation between the coast road and the water’s edge. 🌴🌳🌊

The paddleboard was successfully located by the team on the shore where it had grounded near to the Wishing Well and after confirming that nobody was in danger the team were subsequently stood down. ✅

Any strong winds coming from the mainland are often accelerated as they travel over the hills above Largs and across the water, meaning that the Easterly wind for Cumbrae is often stronger than the general forecast. Last night’s wind was from the East with speeds of around 25 knots meaning that anything on the water not under its own power would quickly cover a surprising distance, especially an inflatable. 🚤 💨

Don't forget to label your paddleboard and other personal watercraft by ordering your 🆓 labels so that your equipment can be quickly identified if you become lost or separated: https://mca-ws.apsmos.com/ViewProduct.html?sp=Swaterprooflabels&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3nZ75G9g8021IM5rAdFiNhVFpoo4k5gOnyv9QGQ4DhTgH2vW4x6FH0Iyc_aem_7Pg_TVkbsdx3bR_qOvHRrQ