Whitby Coastguard

Whitby Coastguard HM Coastguard Whitby is a Search and Rescue Team, part of the Coastguard Rescue Service. This page is not monitored 24/7.

Whitby Coastguard are a Search and Rescue Team and form part of the Coastguard Rescue Service of HM Coastguard. We are equipped and trained to carry out Searches, Rope Rescue and Water Safety and Rescue in addition to a number of other functions. We are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to emergencies and incidents on the coast. In all coastal emergencies dial 999 and ask for the

Coastguard. If you are interested in joining us as a volunteer, please leave a message or email [email protected]

đź“źWhitby 08 Stand Down đź“źAt midnight tonight John officially comes off the Coastguard pager for the last time, after 13 ye...
31/08/2026

đź“źWhitby 08 Stand Down đź“ź

At midnight tonight John officially comes off the Coastguard pager for the last time, after 13 years with Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team.

It’s going to be very strange not having Whitby 08 on the pager anymore.

Over 13 years John has clocked up hundreds of jobs with us. He’s always been one of the calm, logical and level headed ones and, whatever the job, someone we know we can rely on to get on with what needs doing.

He’s also brilliant with people, and over the years we’ve often turned to John when we’ve needed someone to stay with the family or friends of a casualty during some of our more difficult jobs. Sometimes that means explaining what’s happening, sometimes answering questions and sometimes just sitting with someone when there really isn’t much you can say.

John has also been a big part of our school and educational visits over the years, so there will be plenty of children (and probably quite a few who aren’t children anymore!) around Whitby who have met him, climbed through a Coastguard vehicle, looked at the kit or listened to him talking about staying safe around our coast.

Then of course there are all the bits that come with carrying a pager for 13 years. The training nights, weekends, interrupted meals, nights out of bed and family plans that suddenly change when the pager goes.

That’s a lot of years of turning up.

We’ll miss having John on the team and knowing Whitby 08 is there when the pager goes, although we’re sure we haven’t seen the last of him!

So tonight, at midnight, after 13 years of answering that pager, it’s our turn to say it.

Whitby 08, Stand Down.

Thanks for everything John, and enjoy having a bit less noise in your pocket.

You’ll always be part of Whitby team. 💙

From everyone at Whitby Coastguard and beyond.

đź“ź Whitby Coastguard Search and Rescue
đź’™Here for our community 24/7

20/08/2026

Multi Agency work is a huge part of the Coastguard Rescue ethos- thank you to NYFRS for sharing this message, some safety tips from our very own Whitby Deputy Station Officer đź’™

🚨 A little reminder from our team this week… 🚨It’s been a very busy summer for the team so far, with multiple callouts d...
12/08/2026

🚨 A little reminder from our team this week… 🚨

It’s been a very busy summer for the team so far, with multiple callouts daily over the last few weeks.

We’ve had a few callouts alongside Whitby RNLI lifeboat this week to people who have found themselves cut off by the tide along our coastline.

It’s easily done. You set off along the beach, the tide looks miles away, there’s plenty of sand and it feels like you’ve got loads of time. But around our stretch of coast, that can change surprisingly quickly.

And when it does, it’s our Coastguard Rescue Officers and our colleagues from the RNLI who are heading out to find you and get you home safely.

This post isn’t about telling people not to enjoy our coastline, it’s quite the opposite. We live and work here because we love it too. We just want everyone to enjoy it and get home safely afterwards.

If you’re heading out along the beach, especially somewhere a little more remote, have a quick check before you go.

🌊 Check the tide times, and remember that in some places your route can disappear several hours before high tide.

🌬️ Have a look at the weather and wind too. Tide height, wind direction and the shape of the coastline can all make a difference.

⏱️Give yourself plenty of time to get back. If you’re not sure, turn around earlier rather than pushing on.

📱 Take a charged phone and let somebody know where you’re going and roughly when you expect to be back.

Our coastline is absolutely beautiful, and we want people out enjoying it. Just remember that the way you walked in might not still be there when you try to walk back.

And if it does go wrong, don’t try to climb cliffs or find a risky way around the water. Get yourself somewhere safe, stay together if you’re with others, and call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

We’d much rather come and help you than have you put yourself in more danger trying to get out.

Stay safe and enjoy our coast

🩵 Your Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team
đź“ź On call 24/7 for our community

đź“źThe pager goes off.Someone leaves work early. Someone else leaves their tea on the table. A parent misses bedtime. Plan...
01/08/2026

đź“źThe pager goes off.

Someone leaves work early. Someone else leaves their tea on the table. A parent misses bedtime. Plans change in an instant.

đź•ĄWithin minutes, a team of volunteers is on its way to someone who needs help.

To some people, that’s another incident.

To us, it’s never “just another” incident.

Every callout is a person. Someone’s mum, dad, son, daughter, partner or friend. Someone who’s fallen, become trapped, gone missing, been cut off by the tide, is in mental health crisis, or simply found themselves in a situation they never expected.

Our team members are often asked why we post less about how many incidents we’ve attended, and the nature of them.

The truth is, those numbers don’t really matter to us.

Yes, they’re increasing. Yes, there are days when we’re called out more than once, and it can feel relentless at times.

But that’s not something to celebrate.

Every increase means more people needing help, more families having one of the hardest days of their lives, and more volunteers leaving whatever they were doing because someone needs them.

What we are proud of is the team behind the pager.

The people who give up evenings, weekends, family time and sleep without a second thought. The hours of training that nobody sees. The teamwork between all the emergency services when a job is far bigger than one organisation.

If there was one figure we’d like to see going down, it would be the number of people who need us.
The likelihood is that will probably go up, not down, and we’ll keep doing what we’ve always done.

We’ll answer the pager, support each other, and do everything we can to help the people who need us.
Because that’s what really matters.

If you see us out responding to an incident, support us quietly- no photos or sharing on social media, respectfully remember this is someone’s possible worst day, we are trying to make it better.

đź“źhere for our community 24/7
đź’™your Whitby coastguard rescue team

🛑STOP SCROLLING🛑🚨Because we’re recruiting! 🚨Ever thought about joining Whitby Coastguard Search and Rescue Team?People o...
25/07/2026

🛑STOP SCROLLING🛑

🚨Because we’re recruiting! 🚨

Ever thought about joining Whitby Coastguard Search and Rescue Team?
People often think you must have a rescue background or loads of experience.

You don’t.

Every single one of us started somewhere, and every skill we have today was learned or developed further after we joined. We’ll teach you everything you need to know, and you’ll never be expected to do anything on your own.

What you’ll gain is so much more than training.
You’ll become part of a team.

A team that laughs together, trains together, supports each other and, when the pager goes, works together. The friendships you make here are something really special, and many of us have found friends for life through Coastguard.

We’re just ordinary people.

Teachers, tradespeople, office workers, parents, business owners, students, people who work days, nights and shifts. Men and women. Every one of us has a life outside Coastguard, and that’s exactly why the team works around work, family and everything else life throws at us. We’re all volunteers.

If you want to learn new skills, challenge yourself, give something back to your community and be part of a team that genuinely looks after each other, we’d love to welcome you.

There’s no pressure to take on huge responsibilities, but if you catch the bug, there are plenty of opportunities to develop and take on new challenges. If you’re happy being part of a team and taking on the role of Coastguard Rescue Officer, that is the core of how our team runs. You give what you can, there’s no retained minimum hours, only an expectation of attending training once a week to maintain your skills competencies alongside attending callouts as and when you are available to do so around work and home life.

Whitby Coastguard isn’t just about rescues.
It’s about people.
It’s about turning up for each other.
It’s about being part of something bigger than yourself.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s for you, this is your sign.

You might just find your place with us. đź’™

We will follow up soon with dates for a demonstration night that you can come and chat to us, or if you’d like to arrange a chat then contact us in the area email address in the contacts.
The main membership night if your application is accepted will be 1st September 1830-2030hrs.

Application link is below ⬇️
select area 05, Whitby, to apply, applications close 20th August with core skills courses running in November.

https://submit.forms.service.gov.uk/form/89/apply-to-be-a-volunteer-coastguard-rescue-officer/JxRe3uAg

💙 Did you know…?When our pagers go off, we never know what we’re going to be heading to.It could be someone cut off by t...
11/07/2026

💙 Did you know…?

When our pagers go off, we never know what we’re going to be heading to.

It could be someone cut off by the tide, a climber who’s fallen, a missing person, or someone needing help on the cliffs.

It could also be someone in such a difficult place that they no longer see a way forward.

Many people don’t realise that supporting people through a mental health crisis is now a very real part of what Coastguard Rescue Officers do.

These incidents aren’t over in ten minutes.

They can last for hours.

Very often, they’re in the middle of the night, on an exposed cliff edge, in the rain, the wind or the cold.

Our Rope Rescue Technicians may be on the ropes, speaking to someone in crisis, while our Edge Safety Officers work alongside them. Behind them is a full rope rescue team, managing anchors, ropes, safety systems and every detail that allows those conversations to happen safely.

Police negotiators are often requested, but because of the nature of our coastline and the distances involved, it can take time for those specialist resources to reach us. Until then, and often for many hours afterwards, those conversations are being had by Coastguard Rescue Officers.

It’s not something many people realise is part of the role.

We don’t have all the answers.

But we do have time.

We listen.

We stay with people.

We treat them with kindness and without judgement, because at that moment, that’s what they need most.

Sometimes those conversations end with someone walking away safely.

Those are the jobs we all hope for.

Sadly, not every incident has that ending.

Sometimes our role becomes recovering someone, often from difficult terrain or against the tide, so they can be returned to their family with the dignity they deserve. Those jobs are just as demanding, both technically and personally, and they’re carried out with the same care and respect.

The public often see the blue lights and the helmets.

What they don’t always see are the hours spent talking… the patience… the teamwork… or the quiet determination of volunteers who simply want to help another person.

If you ever pass a Coastguard team on the cliffs and wonder why we’re there for so long, this is often why.

Every person matters to us.

And every single one is someone worth trying to bring home. đź’™

đź“źHere 24/7 for our community, no matter the circumstances
đź’™Your Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team

📸 photo is of a training exercise, not a live incident

🛑There are no blue lights, no casualty and no dramatic rescue in this photo. But this is where every rescue starts.We ar...
08/07/2026

🛑There are no blue lights, no casualty and no dramatic rescue in this photo.

But this is where every rescue starts.

We are seeing more need for response to cliff and technical rescue related jobs at the moment, and whilst we don’t think it’s fair to give numbers as no person should be a statistic, we can say our callouts have surpassed the amount of this time last year.

With that in mind 👇

Last night’s training spent some time looking specifically at the care, inspection and maintenance of our rope rescue equipment. Every rope, karabiner, descender, pulley and sling we use is life safety equipment. Keeping it clean isn’t about appearances, it’s so every piece can be properly inspected and any wear or damage picked up before it’s ever needed on a rescue.

When most people picture a rope rescue, they picture one of our coastguard rescue officers going over the cliff edge.

What often goes unmentioned is the team at the top.

They’re managing the rope systems, monitoring every movement, communicating with the technician below and keeping everyone on those lines safe. That might be fellow Coastguard Rescue Officers as Rope Technicians, a casualty, or another emergency service colleague such as a paramedic who has descended with us to provide further specialist care.

The safety of everyone on those ropes depends on more than training alone. It depends on equipment that has been looked after properly, checked thoroughly and maintained to the highest standard. Just as importantly, it relies on the knowledge and experience of the team operating those systems.

It’s one of those parts of volunteering that rarely gets seen. Alongside training nights, vehicle checks, paperwork and planning, there’s a huge amount of work that happens quietly in the background to make sure we’re ready when the pager goes off.

By the time someone is suspended on a rope system, all of that work has already been done.

It’s not the exciting part of the role, and it doesn’t often make the photos, but it’s one of the most important.

This is something we maintain on a regular basis, before and after rescue jobs, monthly routine checks and further 6 monthly more in depth checks with full time officers. Training for this is always ongoing for rolling recruitment and new members of our team, as well as refresh sessions like this one, for even the most experienced members.

Because at the end of the day, this equipment keeps us safe, so we can save lives.

đź“ź on call for our community 24/7
đź’™your Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team

🚨 Can we talk about kindness? Yesterday, Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team attended a sensitive incident which thankfully ha...
01/07/2026

🚨 Can we talk about kindness?

Yesterday, Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team attended a sensitive incident which thankfully had a positive outcome.

Whilst dealing with the incident, one of our Coastguard Rescue Officers had to deal with something they simply shouldn’t have had to.

After calmly asking a member of the public to move away from the cliff edge and pass by to respect the space around an ongoing emergency, they were met with abuse, intimidation and unnecessary confrontation.

That officer wasn’t stood there for the view. They weren’t being awkward. They were in the middle of supporting someone in crisis, alongside the rest of the team, in what could become a dangerous environment. Those involved in the incidents safety was paramount, as was this member of the public’s.

There is a time to ask questions and a time to simply trust that emergency services are asking something for a reason.

Every cordon, every diversion and every request to step back is there to protect someone. Sometimes it’s to protect the casualty. Sometimes it’s to protect our crews. Often it’s both.

The last thing any emergency responder should be facing is aggression from someone choosing to ignore those instructions.

As we head into another busy summer, our volunteers are being called away from family meals, children’s sports days, evenings at home and nights in bed more and more often. Some days we return from one incident only for the pager to sound again before we’ve even had chance to reset. That is becoming the reality of volunteering on our coastline.

We volunteer because we genuinely care about our community.

But we do expect to be treated with the same respect that every emergency service deserves. We also ask that someone who is going through a crisis is treated with that same respect and kindness. What happens when it’s your turn to call us on a bad day?

To the countless people who quietly move back, follow directions, wait patiently and often thank us as they pass , thank you. You probably don’t realise it, but your support helps more than you know. It allows us to concentrate on the person who needs us most.

Please remember that if you come across an emergency incident this summer, there will always be far more happening than you can see.

Give us the space to do our job. Show a little patience. Show a little kindness.

It could make all the difference.

On a much more positive note, the day didn’t end there. After clearing from the incident, members of the team grabbed a quick break before heading straight back out to support training with our colleagues at Staithes Coastguard and Redcar Coastguard Rescue Team.

A huge congratulations to Jay on successfully passing out as a Rope Rescue Technician. It’s a qualification that takes dedication, commitment and plenty of hard work, and we’re looking forward to working alongside you on the cliffs for many years to come.

Well done, Jay, and thank you to everyone involved in helping train and assess our volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers.

đź“źOn call for our community 24/7
đź’™Your Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team

🪢Rope Operations Qualifier🪢 Congratulations to Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team’s Tim and Jason, who have successfully comp...
21/06/2026

🪢Rope Operations Qualifier🪢

Congratulations to Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team’s Tim and Jason, who have successfully completed their Rope Operations course this weekend, alongside colleagues from Staithes Coastguard and Redcar Coastguard Rescue Team.

It has been a hot and demanding few days, with plenty of physical challenges, problem solving, and teamwork required throughout the course. Well done to everyone involved for their hard work and commitment.

When people think of cliff rescue, they often picture our Rope Rescue Technicians working over the edge. What is less visible is the team above the cliff. Rope Operations is the foundation that allows those rescues to happen safely, providing the systems, safety checks, communication and control needed to support technicians working in extremely challenging environments.

A cliff rescue is never a one person job. It takes a minimum of eight trained Coastguard Rescue Officers working together, each with a specific role, to safely manage a rope rescue. Strong teamwork, clear communication, a solid understanding of rope systems and the ability to adapt to changing situations are all essential.

The skills developed on courses like this help ensure that when our communities need us most, we can work safely, effectively and professionally in some of the most difficult rescue environments on the coast.

Well done again to Tim, Jason, and all those who completed the course this weekend.

A big thank you to members of Area management Teams from Area 5 and 6 for their delivery of the course and teaching over the weekend.

đź“ź Here to serve our community 24/7
đź’™ Your Whitby Coastgaurd Rescue Team

🎉 Happy Birthday, Rob! 🎉Today we’re celebrating one of the longest-serving members of our team, with an incredible 37 ye...
13/06/2026

🎉 Happy Birthday, Rob! 🎉

Today we’re celebrating one of the longest-serving members of our team, with an incredible 37 years of service under his belt.

Over nearly four decades, Rob has seen just about every change, challenge, vehicle, uniform, procedure and rescue method the Coastguard can throw at a person. If there’s a story to tell, a lesson to learn, or a piece of Coastguard history to remember, chances are Rob was there for it.

A Rope Technician, OIC, part of the UK wide flood team, mentor, problem solver and all-round fountain of knowledge, Rob is the sort of team member every rescue team hopes to have. Always willing to share his experience, lend a hand, offer advice, or point you in the right direction (usually with a cheeky comment thrown in for good measure).

Whether you’re a new recruit finding your feet or a seasoned team member needing a second opinion, Rob will always make time to help. His commitment to both the team and the local community over the last 37 years has been nothing short of remarkable.

37 years in the Coastguard means Rob has probably attended incidents before some of our team members were even born, used kit we’ve only ever seen in photographs, and can usually start a sentence with “Back in my day…”

Happy birthday Rob, and thank you for everything you continue to bring to Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team.

🎂🚨

Address

Captain Cook Crescent
Whitby
YO224

Telephone

+441262672317

Website

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