Clydebank’s new Coastguard Rescue Team has been welcomed by West Dunbartonshire councillors, ahead its expected to launch later this year 

In January it was announced that a new team would be set up in Clydebank and would be made up of fully trained volunteers to attend emergencies on the Clyde as well as “qualifying” incidents inland. 

The station will be located near Clydebank College and will be open mid-summer.

It will recruit 10 Coastguard Rescue Officers who will be trained in water rescue, advanced first aid, mud rescue, missing person search, helicopter landing operations and blue light drivers. 

Potential officers will be required to stay in the Clydebank or immediate surrounding area. The plans were discussed at full council last week.

A motion by councillor Craig Edwards read: “Council warmly welcomes news that His Majesty’s Coastguard will soon be creating a new Coastguard Rescue Team based in Clydebank.”

It also added that the council looked forward to working “constructively” with the HM Coastguard. 

However an amendment brought forward by councillor Dannie Lennie said: “Council welcomes the announcement by HM Coastguard on January 16 of the creation of the Clyde Coastguard Rescue Team which will be based in Clydebank later this year. 

“Council acknowledges that the coastguard rescue team will be a great addition to our emergency response service and asks the chief executive to write to the HM Coastguard inviting them to become involved in West Dunbartonshire’s community planning partnership.”

Speaking on the motion, councillor Lennie said he was happy to welcome this investment to Clydebank.

He said: “I understand they won’t be coming here until June or July this year and unfortunately we don’t yet know their actual plans and we don’t know where they will be located or facilities they will have.

“What we do know is that HM Coastguard provides an invaluable service, saving lives at sea across the whole of the UK. 

“The Clydebank Coastguard Rescue team will have a good level of knowledge, skills and experiences that they may be able to share with us. 

“Equally, we may be able to share some of our expertise as our West Dunbartonshire community planning partnership developed a model of partnership action and water safety which was a adopted by the whole of Scotland.

“The safe, development, improvement group uses a number of ways to promote water safety and raising awareness and putting in place practical awareness such as lifebelts at key points and reporting processes to ensure a speedy response.

“I am sure we can work together for the benefit of local residents and visitors. I look forward to hearing more about the Clydebank Coastguard rescue team later this year and I would hope to visit them this year.”

Councillor Lennie’s amendment was carried.