Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard

Website: www.taurangacoastguard.co.nz

Tel: 07 578 5579

One of the core services that can be called on of Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard is their Search and Rescue capability. Their dedicated volunteers are on call 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, to go to the assistance of someone at risk on the water.

Their Mission Statement is 'Saving Lives at Sea', and it is something they take very seriously.  They are one of the main resources that can be called upon by the Police, or Rescue Co-ordination Centre of New Zealand, to go to the aid of a stricken vessel. Sometimes this may include a prolonged search for a vessel as a result of someone reporting a flare sighting, a boat taking on water or on fire. They also sometimes assist with evacuating people with injuries from a boat or an island. 

Because they have these resources, they are also able to offer a service to boat owners who become a member of their unit, whereby the coastguard can go to their assistance in the event of problems with their boat. This regularly includes flat batteries, of lack of fuel, or other mechanical problems.

As the organisation is not directly funded by the Government, they rely heavily on their membership and other donations, to enable them to be ready and waiting in the event of a life-threatening situation unfolding.