A man and woman have been rescued in an emergency operation after their 45m cruiser sank offshore 6nm south of Ballina on the NSW North Coast early this morning.
The emergency began when the cruiser began taking on water and sinking bow first. The couple on board acted quickly and gathered two life rings, a fender, EPIRB and mobile phone, putting on their lifejackets.
They made a Mayday call, which was picked up by an overnight radio operator at Marine Rescue Sydney, followed by an EPIRB activation. Crews from Marine Rescue Ballina and the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter were rapidly activated.
The Westpac helicopter located the people in the water, dropping a strobe to guide rescue vessel Ballina 30 to the scene. The vessel crew rescued the man and woman from the water and transported them to a waiting NSW Ambulance at the Fawcett Street wharf, providing immediate first aid for hypothermia en route.
The rescue helicopter stayed on scene, illuminating the hazardous bar, until the rescue boat was safely across in the pitch dark.
Marine Rescue NSW Northern Rivers Regional Operations Manager John Murray said the emergency services had mounted a rapid and professional response.
“This operation in the dead of night is proof of the value of the services’ regular joint training exercises, which ensure everyone works seamlessly to save lives on the water,” Mr Murray said.
Comments Off on Three honoured on Queen’s Birthday
Congratulations to the three Marine Rescue NSW recipients of the Emergency Services Medal in today’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Marine Rescue Newcastle Unit Commander and Training Officer Ron Calman, Marine Rescue Narooma Vessel Master Ross Constable and Monaro Regional Operations Manager and Marine Rescue Batemans Bay member Glenn Sullivan have received the prestigious honour for their commitment to saving lives on the water.
MRNSW Commissioner Stacey Tannos congratulated the three on the national recognition of their distinguished service to the NSW community.
“These awards are an opportunity to thank Ron, Ross and Glenn for their years of work and commitment to serving and protecting the boating community,” he said.
“Between them, they have given more than 90 years’ service to the people of our state. Our people are our strength and we are proud to have such experienced, skilled and dedicated members in our ranks.
“Our volunteers make a valuable contribution to the safety and wellbeing of our community without any expectation of reward or recompense. They deserve our gratitude.
“These awards are our chance to say thank you not just to our three recipients but to all their colleagues as well.”
Mr Calman OAM has been Unit Commander of MR Newcastle since 2012, having served with distinction for more than six decades as the Captain of the Toowoon Bay Surf Life Saving Club; the founding Commander of the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association Swansea flotilla; the Division Commander of the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol at Lake Macquarie; and an officer in the NSW Police Marine Area Command.
A skilled and respected Rescue Vessel Master, he makes himself available around the clock to respond to emergencies on the water and has personally conducted hundreds of rescue missions, often in dark and dangerous conditions.
In July 2019, Mr Calman was the Master of one the two MRNSW vessels responsible for retrieving three people who died when their catamaran capsized in rough seas off the Stockton coast, responding with great care and compassion.
As the unit’s Training Officer, he has been committed to ensuring his members receive professional training, resourcing and support for their life-saving roles.
He has also worked tirelessly to maintain volunteer morale following the destruction of the Newcastle unit base in severe storms in 2015, persevering to secure a permanent new home.
Mr Constable, who joined MR Narooma in 2000, displays the highest levels of professionalism and leadership, not only in his operational role as a rescue vessel Master but also as a member of the unit executive.
Mr Constable’s skill and professionalism gives his crew members confidence in his navigational abilities and judgment, even in the most unfavourable of sea and weather conditions.
His innovation in training in all aspects of seamanship has seen MR Narooma achieve a notable standard of operational excellence.
He has led numerous challenging search and rescue operations in response to traumatic emergencies, including a number of fatalities. His care and compassion for those in need is also extended to his fellow volunteers, instituting effective peer support.
Glenn Sullivan has made a lasting contribution to the operational capability of MRNSW and the safety of the boating community through his tireless work to assist and support MRNSW volunteers and his commitment to education, as both a volunteer and career officer.
Mr Sullivan joined MR Batemans Bay in 2009. In addition to qualifying as a Vessel Master, he gained a training qualification, becoming the unit’s Training Officer.
He subsequently was appointed Regional Training Manager for the Illawarra and Monaro regions and is now the Monaro Regional Operations Manager, coordinating rescue operations and resources across the South Coast, Alpine Lakes and Murray River at Moama.
Mr Sullivan has led many search and rescue operations, including an extended eight-day operation to locate the wreckage of a plane that ditched off Broulee in 2014, for which he was awarded a Commissioner’s Citation for Service.
While guiding training for the new Alpine Lakes unit in 2011, he responded to save the life of a woman who was choking.
Mr Sullivan showed strong and empathetic leadership throughout the 2019-20 bushfires, coordinating local deployments and resources to maintain MRNSW operations and assist the emergency response while also supporting volunteers and the community.
A generous mentor, Mr Sullivan is driven to help volunteers build their capability, skill and safety.
Comments Off on Three lives lost off Illawarra coastline
Crews from MR Port Kembla launched searches under darkness in response to two separate emergencies when members of the public reported hearing calls for help from the water.
A major air and sea search was mounted by NSW Police, MR Port Kembla, the Toll Ambulance Helicopter and Surf Life Saving on June 6 when screams were heard near Bulli Point.
A runabout with four people on board had capsized about 6.20pm. The helicopter pulled two men, aged 31 and 23, from the water about 8pm, transporting them to Wollongong Hospital, while the search continued for a missing boy, aged five, and a man, 28.
The crew of Port Kembla 30 towed the runabout back to harbour about 10pm, where Police Divers found the small boy’s body.
Three crews from MR Port Kembla and Shellharbour joined the ongoing operation the next morning, searching up to 6nm offshore from Bellambi to Austinmer. The crew of Shellharbour 30 recovered the man’s body about 1.10pm.
Director of Operations Andrew Cribb and Illawarra Regional Operations Manager Bruce Mitchell held a critical incident debrief with both crews the following day.
“This was a terrible tragedy and we are holding the families of this very small boy and the man who also died in our thoughts today,” Mr Cribb said. “Operations in traumatic circumstances such as this also take a heavy toll on the members of the emergency services who respond and we thank not only our own members but all those who worked professionally and compassionately to rescue the two men on Saturday night and return the two victims to their families.”
The alarm was raised in similar circumstances about 6.30pm on April 16, when people heard a man yelling from Rocky Island at Port Kembla. This was followed by reports of a second man and a capsized boat in the water.
PK 30 was quickly on the scene, along with police, the Toll helicopter and the State Emergency Service. The man was located on the island about 7.30pm and airlifted to safety.
The search for the missing man was suspended at 10.30pm before resuming the next day, when police located the 68-year-old’s body. The uncle and nephew had been fishing but their boat capsized as they returned to the boat ramp.
Family member Matt Campbell thanked the Port Kembla rescue crew online: “Thanks for your efforts today and always, (love) the Campbell family.”
Comments Off on First dedicated marine rescue training academy
Marine Rescue NSW will develop Australia’s first dedicated marine rescue training academy in a $12 million project to ensure more skilled volunteers are ready to save lives on the water.
Emergency Services Minister David Elliott and Attorney General, Cronulla MP Mark Speakman, formally announced on June 6 that the Academy would be developed on the MRNSW Headquarters site on the Hungry Point Reserve, at Cronulla.
“This state-of-the-art facility will ensure we have more fully trained first responders on the marine radio airwaves and water to rescue boaters caught in life-threatening emergencies on NSW waterways,” Mr Elliott said.
“Professional training is essential to equip every member of the team with the knowledge and skills they need to bring boaters home safely.”
He said the State Government was a proud supporter of MRNSW volunteers, investing an additional $37.6 million in new vessels, improved operating facilities and the marine radio network.
“When you’re enjoying our waterways, it’s quite likely that the first line of defence, the first operational capability that may come to you in the event that you’re in trouble, will be a volunteer,” he said.
“It’s very, very dangerous work; it’s work that’s essential and it’s work that certainly saves the taxpayers. The least we can do as a government and as a society is to ensure they have the best possible training that money can buy.”
The Hungry Point Reserve Crown Land Management Committee named the Academy as the preferred use for the site in a public Expression Of Interest process. The self-contained campus, to cater for up to 100 trainees a week, will include a large lecture/meeting room, smaller classrooms equipped with marine simulators and other learning tools, outdoor training areas and a pool, along with accommodation and meal facilities.
Trainees will be able to undertake small-group intensive residential and day courses in subjects including first aid and advanced resuscitation, sea survival, firefighting at sea, marine radio operations, rescue vessel crew, coxswain and Rescue Water Craft operations and search and rescue coordination.
The Academy also will help boost boating safety by offering public boat licence and marine radio courses and on-site collection facilities for boaters to dispose of expired safety flares, EPIRBs, batteries and other equipment.
Mr Speakman said the Academy was an “excellent outcome for Marine Rescue, for water safety and for respecting the site’s Indigenous, European and multi-cultural history”.
“This is a training centre that will respect the maritime history of this site but also respect the Indigenous history and the important cultural history of the site,” he said. “It’s a beautiful site. It’s also an iconic site for Shire residents, who can now enjoy the open space here.
“It’s also wonderful, too, to have a primary occupier, in Marine Rescue, that is community based. This is not a commercial enterprise, this a voluntary organisation, a grassroots organisation that does such wonderful volunteer work keeping people safe on our waterways.”
MRNSW Commissioner Stacey Tannos hailed the announcement of the Training Academy, at the end of the service’s 10th anniversary year, as another significant milestone.
“The Training Academy will be the first of its kind in Australia,” he said. “It will be a one-stop-shop where you will be able to do everything that’s needed in all aspects of training for Marine Rescue – be it on a boat, on radio, administration, leadership courses – in the one place.”
He said enabling members to complete their training more quickly would encourage volunteer retention and engagement, strengthening the service’s sustainability. He said consolidated block training could cut the time taken to obtain various qualifications from a year or more.
MRNSW Chair Jim Glissan said there could not be a better investment for the boaters of NSW.
“Marine Rescue volunteers are the first responders on the water,” he said. “If somebody suffers an accident or distaster on the water, it is we who will be the first people who are called out. We, therefore, need to make sure our volunteers are trained to the very, very best level that is possible. We are extraordinarily grateful to the government of NSW for both its monterary support and its support in securing for us this wonderful site.”
Marine Rescue NSW will develop Australia’s first dedicated marine rescue training academy in a $12 million project to ensure more skilled volunteers are ready to save lives on the water.
Emergency Services Minister David Elliott and Attorney General, Cronulla MP Mark Speakman, formally announced on June 6 that the Academy would be developed on the MRNSW Headquarters site on the Hungry Point Reserve, at Cronulla.
“This state-of-the-art facility will ensure we have more fully trained first responders on the marine radio airwaves and water to rescue boaters caught in life-threatening emergencies on NSW waterways,” Mr Elliott said.
“Professional training is essential to equip every member of the team with the knowledge and skills they need to bring boaters home safely.”
He said the State Government was a proud supporter of MRNSW volunteers, investing an additional $37.6 million in new vessels, improved operating facilities and the marine radio network.
“When you’re enjoying our waterways, it’s quite likely that the first line of defence, the first operational capability that may come to you in the event that you’re in trouble, will be a volunteer,” he said.
“It’s very, very dangerous work; it’s work that’s essential and it’s work that certainly saves the taxpayers. The least we can do as a government and as a society is to ensure they have the best possible training that money can buy.”
The Hungry Point Reserve Crown Land Management Committee named the Academy as the preferred use for the site in a public Expression Of Interest process. The self-contained campus, to cater for up to 100 trainees a week, will include a large lecture/meeting room, smaller classrooms equipped with marine simulators and other learning tools, outdoor training areas and a pool, along with accommodation and meal facilities.
Trainees will be able to undertake small-group intensive residential and day courses in subjects including first aid and advanced resuscitation, sea survival, firefighting at sea, marine radio operations, rescue vessel crew, coxswain and Rescue Water Craft operations and search and rescue coordination.
The Academy also will help boost boating safety by offering public boat licence and marine radio courses and on-site collection facilities for boaters to dispose of expired safety flares, EPIRBs, batteries and other equipment.
Mr Speakman said the Academy was an “excellent outcome for Marine Rescue, for water safety and for respecting the site’s Indigenous, European and multi-cultural history”.
“This is a training centre that will respect the maritime history of this site but also respect the Indigenous history and the important cultural history of the site,” he said. “It’s a beautiful site. It’s also an iconic site for Shire residents, who can now enjoy the open space here.
“It’s also wonderful, too, to have a primary occupier, in Marine Rescue, that is community based. This is not a commercial enterprise, this a voluntary organisation, a grassroots organisation that does such wonderful volunteer work keeping people safe on our waterways.”
MRNSW Commissioner Stacey Tannos hailed the announcement of the Training Academy, at the end of the service’s 10th anniversary year, as another significant milestone.
“The Training Academy will be the first of its kind in Australia,” he said. “It will be a one-stop-shop where you will be able to do everything that’s needed in all aspects of training for Marine Rescue – be it on a boat, on radio, administration, leadership courses – in the one place.”
He said enabling members to complete their training more quickly would encourage volunteer retention and engagement, strengthening the service’s sustainability. He said consolidated block training could cut the time taken to obtain various qualifications from a year or more.
MRNSW Chair Jim Glissan said there could not be a better investment for the boaters of NSW.
“Marine Rescue volunteers are the first responders on the water,” he said. “If somebody suffers an accident or distaster on the water, it is we who will be the first people who are called out. We, therefore, need to make sure our volunteers are trained to the very, very best level that is possible. We are extraordinarily grateful to the government of NSW for both its monterary support and its support in securing for us this wonderful site.”
Comments Off on Perilous Swansea bar claims another victim
The perilous Swansea bar claimed another victim in the early morning darkness on May 19, when a disabled trawler ran aground and sank as it tried to make its way off the coastline to safety.
The skipper, travelling north to Newcastle, reported just after midnight that the 16m timber boat was having electrical issues and taking on water near Moon Island, off Swansea Heads and that he would divert into the channel.
Radio Operator Paul Webb, on duty in the MR Lake Macquarie radio base overlooking the coast and channel, helped guide the skipper over the bar, which he had never crossed before.
As Paul watched, he saw the trawler stop dead in the water. The skipper confirmed the boat had run aground and the motors had cut out.
The unit’s night crew was activated on board Lake Macquarie 30, arriving on scene just before 2am to find the boat had sunk, with water over its gunwales. The crew took the skipper on board and returned to their Pelican boat base, where they gave him dry clothes and a bunk for the rest of the night.
Later in the morning, the crew of LM 20 took the skipper back out to assess the damage to his boat and help retrieve gear and debris.
Crew member Jim Wright said he had done many rescues over the years but never to save a two-seater lounge.
He said the crew had been alerted to an unidentified object, possibly a fuel tank, from the boat so headed to the coordinates given, 5nm offshore from the base.
“When we got there we found the two-seater lounge floating. The owner of the boat was with us and confirmed it was off his boat. We pulled it on board which was a bugger of a job as the cushions were water logged, and brought it back to our base.”
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Marine Rescue Newcastle’s new $535,000 vessel arrived in the Steel City this morning and it wasn’t long before it was out on its new home waters.
Newcastle 30, a 10m Naiad, was built by Yamba Welding & Engineering on the Northern Rivers. After being trucked down the Pacific Highway, it was eased into the water at the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, where its retiring predecessor is berthed.
The vessel performed strongly in its sea trials on the Clarence River and offshore and we are confident it will prove a powerful and reliable new rescue asset on our local waterways: the Hunter River, Newcastle Harbour and offshore.
After being trucked down the Pacific Highway, the vessel was gently lowered into the water at the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, where its predecessor, the retiring NC 30, is berthed.
Unit Commander Ron Calman, Bill Johnston and Rick Nevile soon had the new vessel out for its first spin, accompanied by MRNSW Fleet Manager Kelvin Parkin and Hunter/Central Coast Regional Operations Manager Steve Raymond.
Mr Raymond rated the Unit Commander the happiest man in all of NSW as he took the helm.
Crew members are undergoing their induction and familiarisation before the vessel enters service.
A tricky job for the Marine Rescue Wooli crew, given the need to stay home, or if called out, to keep the 1.5m distance from one another and from the people needing assistance.
Around 8am on Tuesday, April 28, a sailing vessel en route to Queensland, called for assistance after entering the Wooli Wooli River. The trimaran had run aground on a sandbank with its hull breached and was taking on water, exacerbated by a rising tide. The vessel’s batteries were flat due to pumps having been run all night.
The Marine Rescue Wooli rescue vessel, Wooli 30, was activated and attempted to pump the trimaran out sufficiently to locate the breach. Unsuccessful, Wooli 30 was to return on low tide to try again. However, the vessel again called for immediate assistance as the tide was falling fast and Wooli 30 returned with a more powerful Rural Fire Service pump. The pump out was partially successful and ceased when the breach point was located, leaving the skipper hopeful of repairing the split in the plywood at the keel before the change of tide.
The unit arranged and delivered food supplies from the local shop and took batteries to recharge. With the repairs unsuccessful and further attempts to refloat the vessel futile, it was up to the skipper to arrange salvage while MR Wooli ensured he was safe.
After almost a week grounded on a sandbank in the Wooli Wooli River, with a breached main hull, the morning high tide on May 5 gave sufficient water for the trimaran to float on its outer hulls. This provided the opportunity to move the vessel to a more suitable location for access and repairs.
For the first attempt, a local provided a dinghy with a 20hp outboard and towed the sailboat clear of the sandbank. However, once in the channel, the ebb tide took over, the dinghy lost control and both boats were being swept downstream towards the training walls. When the cry was heard, “I haven’t got an anchor”, the situation was assessed as serious, rescue not salvage and the rescue vessel was activated.
In the meantime, another local launched his jet boat and was able to hold the trimaran against the ebb tide until the rescue vessel arrived to take over the tow. A side tow was set up and the vessel towed upstream and then beached 150m north of the Wooli boat ramp. The owner now has the demanding task ahead to repair the vessel and ensure it is seaworthy to continue his voyage north.
A search for an overdue boater on Jervis Bay today has highlighted the value of Logging On with Marine Rescue NSW and the need to make sure all your communications equipment on board is in good working order.
The skipper had Logged On via the MarineRescue App when she headed out this morning but when the 6m runabout had not returned as scheduled, the unit launched its search procedures.
The skipper did not respond to several calls on VHF Channel 16, leading the unit to check the boat ramp from where the vessel departed. The boater’s car and trailer were still in the car park.
The crew of rescue vessel Jervis Bay 40 was deployed, heading to the boat’s last known position. Finding no sign of the boat, the crew proceeded to search between Steamers Beach and Point Perpendicular.
The unit’s radio base broadcast an alert asking all boaters in the vicinity to keep a lookout.
As a second rescue vessel, Jervis Bay 20, was preparing to join the search, the unit again checked the boat ramp and found the boater had returned.
She reported her phone had run out of battery power and the marine radio on board was not working.
Illawarra Regional Operations Manager Bruce Mitchell said MRNSW was appealing to boaters to stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect their own and its volunteers’ health.
“Everyone is safer when everyone stays home right now but if it is essential for boaters to head out on the water, we urge them to Log On and Log Off with MRNSW,” he said.
“This boater did the right thing by Logging On so that trained search and rescue experts could keep track of her on her fishing trip.
“Logging On gives us a starting point for a search and that saves valuable time when every minute counts in an emergency on the water.
“Our Jervis Bay members were diligent in their efforts to find this boater when she was overdue. Although this search could have had a very different outcome, thankfully she was safe and well – and very, very apologetic.
“It does, however, again demonstrate the need for anyone heading out on the water to be sure that their radio is in good working order and their phone is fully charged so they can call for help in an emergency.”
Mr Mitchell thanked the crew of Jervis Bay 40, Greg Atkinson, Tony Dagger and Brian McParlane and radio base operators, Steve Hutchison, Kristy Jones and Kevin McMahon, for their prompt and professional response.
In a move not seen since the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1919, Queensland has closed its borders to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
On the normally-laidback Twin Towns tourist strip, barriers and police checkpoints have been set up on roads heading north across the border, with motorists stopped and asked to show they have a Queensland Entry Pass.
Marine Rescue Point Danger‘s base in the Captain Cook lighthouse straddles the State border and its members live on either side of the dividing line, which normally goes largely unnoticed by the locals, other than to mark the demarcation between two separate time zones during daylight saving each year.
Like other MRNSW volunteers, Point Danger Unit Commander Glenda Ashby, who lives in Maroon territory, has been staying home and staying safe.
When she needs to report to the base, her route is on Queensland roads but the trip home down the aptly-named Boundary Street takes her into NSW, past the roadblocks and frequently-assembled media to a police checkpoint.
In recognition of the vital mission of MRNSW to save lives on the water, UC Ashby has been granted an entry pass so after a friendly word with a member of the Queensland constabulary, she’s on her way back north
She said the unit was maintaining its services with one radio operator rostered on duty per shift and rescue vessel crews operating on a call-out basis in response to emergencies but she was ensuring that members were able to stay connected.
“Everyone else is staying home. We’re sending out memos and newsletters to keep people up to date but I’m ringing our volunteers to let them know I’m thinking about them and am concerned for them and their families,” she said.
“I think it’s helped lift people’s spirits and I want them to know their health is the most important thing.”
Comments Off on Volunteers from Marine Rescue NSW remain on duty
Volunteers from Marine Rescue NSW remain on duty, ready to respond to emergencies and help boaters stay safe on the water.
Commissioner Stacey Tannos thanked the organisation’s volunteers for their ongoing commitment to community service during the continuing COVID-19 crisis.
“As always, our volunteers are selflessly putting the safety of the boating community first, even during this worrying time for us all,” he said.
“I know those boaters who are out on the water over the weekend will be grateful to each and every one of our volunteers reporting for duty.”
Commissioner Tannos said it was important to assure boaters that MRNSW was maintaining its vital emergency services at all our 44 units on the NSW coastline and on the Alpine Lakes and Murray River at Moama.
Commissioner Tannos said MRNSW had put preventative measures into place to protect its volunteers and staff, along with other members of the community, this week.
“These are sensible precautions to protect our people and the community while maintaining operation. Like everyone who’s adapting to a new way of working right now, we very much look forward to returning to our normal operations once this health crisis ends.”
Throughout this all, MRNSW staff have continued to work from home, staying safe and getting on with the job. Staff has been zooming through meetings, sharing desks with the kids, and getting some pawsome help from our furry friends.
Boaters should continue to Log On and Log Off with Marine Rescue NSW via VHF Channel 16 or the free MarineRescue App.
Boaters in trouble on the water can continue to call for help on VHF Ch 16 or on Triple Zero (000).
Comments Off on Marine Rescue NSW remains ready to respond
Marine Rescue NSW has assured the boating community that it remains ready to respond to emergencies – but is appealing to recreational boaters to stay home during the COVID-19 crisis.
Commissioner Stacey Tannos encouraged boaters to observe the need for people to socially isolate to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus throughout the community.
“It is important that boaters know Marine Rescue NSW is maintaining its life-saving services. If you’re in trouble on the water and need help, our volunteers are ready – as always – to respond,” he said.
“But this is not a time to be reckless with your own or our volunteers’ health and safety.
“It is clear that in these difficult times, we are all expected to act responsibly and abide by the official requests to stay home except when absolutely essential in order to protect ourselves and each other.
“I know our boating community places a high value on our volunteers and their mission to save lives on the water.
“So today, with the full support of NSW Maritime, I am taking the unusual step of asking our recreational boaters to stay on shore.
“Their cooperation in avoiding any unnecessary boating activities will help safeguard no only their own health and wellbeing but that of our 3,000-plus volunteers and others in the community.”
MRNSW has introduced a range of preventative measures to protect its volunteers and staff, along with the public, while also ensuring it can continue its life-saving operations. These include:
• Maintaining marine radio operations with core numbers of volunteers
• Vessel crews largely operating on an emergency call-out basis rather than on standby
• All public fundraising, events, meetings and training have been cancelled
• All personnel are being encouraged to observe social distancing requirements and enhanced hygiene practices.
Commissioner Tannos thanked all MRNSW volunteers for their ongoing commitment to their community service during the continuing COVID-19 crisis.
“As always, our volunteers are selflessly putting the safety of the boating community first, even during this worrying time for us all,” he said. “We all look forward to life on the water returning to normal when this crisis ends.”
In an emergency, boaters should call for help on VHF Channel 16 or by ringing Triple Zero (000).
Comments Off on Every minute counts in an emergency on the water.
When a boater is in trouble and needs help fast, Marine Rescue NSW relies on robust and stable communications to activate our crews to respond. Our operations also depend on secure digital access to keep our radio network and emergency systems on the air.
We work closely with Telstra and our account managers Exigo Tech Pty Ltd to ensure we have reliable networks so we can be certain we can call out our crews, answer boaters’ calls for help and access our online vessel tracking and other systems 24/7.
Members of Marine Rescue Middle Harbour last week welcomed Telstra Head of Business Customer Sales Kevin Teoh and Exigo Tech Sales Director Niten Devalia and their teams on board rescue vessel Middle Harbour 30, along with MRNSW State Director of Operations Andrew Cribb and IT Director Florian Glajcar, to demonstrate our rescue capability and our volunteers’ around-the-clock service to the community.
Under cloudy skies over Sydney Harbour, it was a great way for the tech company team members to learn more about MRNSW expertise, roles and responsibilities and how they can help support our mission to save lives on the water.
Marine Rescue NSW has launched the first Australian trial of new life-saving marine rescue technology.
The U SAFE, a self-propelled, remote-controlled life buoy, is being subjected to rigorous trials on hazardous NSW waters for three months.
Emergency Services Minister David Elliott inspected the U SAFE prototype during a rescue simulation to start the trial.
Mr Elliott said the innovative technology was the future of marine rescue and would put crews in a position to save more lives in a range of hazardous conditions.
“This is an incredible piece of kit that can launched from a rescue vessel or from the shore and steered directly to a person or boat in danger,” Mr Elliott said.
“We’re committed to reducing tragic and too often preventable drownings and that’s why we’ve invested a record $37.6 million for Marine Rescue over four years to enhance their rescue capability with additional rescue vessels, volunteer facilities and radio infrastructure.”
The patented U SAFE device has been produced by Portuguese developer Noras Performance.
Featuring a U-shaped hull, it is powered by an electric turbine in each leg and can travel up to 400m from the operator at a speed of up to 15km/h.
Commissioner Stacey Tannos said the aquatic robot had the potential to revolutionise marine rescue, saving more lives while protecting crew safety.
“The U SAFE is the life ring of the 21st century,” he said. “This trial will help determine the life-saving potential of this technology.
“We’re excited to undertake the first operational trial of the U SAFE prototype by a professional rescue service in Australia.”
The comprehensive trial will test the equipment’s performance, speed and accuracy and contribution to mission success in scenarios such as:
Dangerous conditions and inaccessible locations, such as on coastal bars, near rocky outcrops and on shallow waterways that are difficult for large rescue vessels to safely navigate
Reaching people who have fallen overboard from boats or rock fishers being churned in the surf close to rock platforms or cliffs
Carrying a tow rope to a boat in severe conditions, such as in an extreme chop, heavy swell or close to rocks.
Comments Off on New Lord Howe vessel – Largest in the Marine Rescue fleet
The latest – and largest – addition to the Marine Rescue NSW fleet left Sydney early this morning for a major refit before its voyage to its new home base at the service’s first offshore rescue unit, on Lord Howe Island.
The 16 metre ocean-going vessel, the former Marine Area Command – NSW Police Force boat Fearless, is heading north up the coastline for the refurbishment before travelling to the small island.
Deputy Commissioner Dean Storey said MRNSW was establishing the first dedicated marine rescue capability on the island, 650km due east of Port Macquarie.
“Today’s voyage is an exciting step in the unit’s development,” he said.
“The boat will undergo a total refurbishment from top to bottom and will emerge as good as new. The Lord Howe Island community can now look forward to their new boat’s arrival in coming months.”
The monohull vessel has a range of 400nm and is powered by Caterpillar inboard diesel engines. It is today heading to Port Macquarie in a 10 to 12 hour voyage in favourable conditions for the refit, which will include new electronics and communications equipment and MRNSW livery. The crew on board is MRNSW Fleet Manager Kelvin Parkin and Greater Sydney Regional Operations Manager Glenn Evans, Sans Souci Water Police Senior Sergeant John Cox and Senior Constable Shane Steere and the inaugural Marine Rescue Lord Howe Island Unit Commander Jim MacFadyen.
Comments Off on 2019 Marine Rescue NSW Board election results
The results of the 2019 Marine Rescue NSW Board elections were announced at today’s Annual General Meeting, held at the State Headquarters at Cronulla.
Marine Rescue Point Danger member Darcy Henriksen was elected as the new Northern Rivers Regional Director. Mid North Coast Regional Director John Lynch ESM and Hunter/Central Coast Regional Director Jim Wright were re-elected unopposed. General Director Jim Glissan AM ESM QC was also re-elected unopposed.
At the subsequent Board meeting, Mr Glissan was re-elected as Chair of the Board.
Returning officer for the election, MR Botany Port Hacking member Noel Parkinson, said 114 – 37 per cent – of the 307 eligible members in the Northern Rivers Region had voted. Mr Henriksen, who has been a member of MRNSW since 2007 and had 39 years’ experience in the Royal Australian Air Force before his retirement, thanked the volunteers for their vote of confidence and said he was honoured and privileged to take on the position of responsibility.
Marine Rescue Point Danger Unit Commander Glenda Ashby was made a Life Member of Marine Rescue NSW.
Mr Glissan said Life Membership was the highest accolade the organisation could bestow and congratulated UC Ashby on her 20 years’ service, first in Volunteer Marine Rescue Queensland and then as part of Marine Rescue NSW.
“You’re a shining light and the kind of example we went to set to other members,” he said.
“We’re very grateful for the work Glenda has done. She promotes our volunteers, well beyond the unit and has contributed to the organisation as a whole.
” Mr Glissan said UC Ashby had established strong working relationships with organisations both within NSW and across the border with Queensland agencies.
He said she had first run the unit’s fundraising souvenir shop before progressed through positions including Assistant Treasurer, Administration Officer, Deputy Unit Commander and Unit Commander.
“Glenda’s long-term commitment and devotion to the wellbeing of the members has established the Point Danger operation as financially solid and professional and she puts a lot of work in at the coalface at unit, too,” Mr Glissan said.
Commissioner Stacey Tannos ES M outlined the organisation’s achievements over the 2018-2019 financial year.
He said MRNSW had performed about 2,700 rescues, of which around 820 were in response to life-threatening emergencies, throughout the year.
He thanked the organisation’s 3,000 volunteers for their hard work, commitment and willingness to accept change and adopt increasing technology.
“We all have one goal – to grow the organisation and provide a safety net for the boating community and I believe we do that extremely well,” he said.
He thanked the staff for their contribution, saying more staff were soon coming on board to support the delivery of new communications, vessels and facilities funded from the $37.6 million in additional funding for MRNSW announced by the State Government in January, including the establishment of the new Lord Howe Island unit.
“This time next year we hope to have the unit operational, with a base built, volunteers trained and a boat in place,” he said.
He said the additional Government investment had freed up existing capital for exciting new projects in 2020. Partner at Grant Thornton Audit James Winter told the AGM he had recognised a continued improvement in the quality of work and professionalism that had continued in the financial year.
He said it was solid, steady performance and he had no concerns about the organisation from an audit perspective.
Comments Off on Major funding boost for Marine Rescue NSW
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Emergency Services Troy Grant said this major funding boost would help save lives on the water by delivering new purpose-built rescue vessels, upgraded operational centres and improvements to the marine radio network.
The funding will more than double Marine Rescue NSW’s annual budget and make a major difference to the support it can provide to boaters across the state.
“Community safety is our top priority and this major investment will deliver an extra layer of security and reassurance for anglers, divers and everybody who gets out on our amazing waterways,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Whether it is our schools, hospitals or emergency services, we are delivering record investments to make a real difference for communities across NSW, and today’s announcement continues our commitment to world-class frontline services.
“This funding is only possible thanks to the strong economic management of the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government.”
Mr Grant said, “The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will establish a new rescue unit on Lord Howe Island, as well as new or upgraded bases and boat buildings at Tweed Heads, Ballina, Narooma, Lake Macquarie, Middle Harbour, Newcastle and the Central Coast.”
Mr Grant said the extra funding would also deliver 38 brand new vessels to 28 rescue units, providing volunteers with better boats much sooner.
The vessels will go to the Alpine Lakes, Batemans Bay, Botany Port Hacking (Botany Bay and Port Hacking), Broken Bay, Central Coast, Cronulla, Crowdy Harrington, Eden, Evans Head, Hawkesbury, Jervis Bay, Kioloa, Lemon Tree Passage, Lord Howe Island, Merimbula, Moama, Nambucca, Narooma, Newcastle, Point Danger, Port Jackson, Port Kembla, Port Macquarie, Port Stephens, Sussex Inlet, Tuross, Woolgoolga and Tuggerah Lakes (The Entrance and Toukley).
“This new investment will also allow Marine Rescue NSW to upgrade the marine radio network, which Marine Rescue NSW maintains and operates,” Mr Grant said.
“This includes eliminating black spots along the south coast and on the Hawkesbury, making it much safer for boaters and the dedicated volunteers dispatched to support them in times of trouble.”
This new investment of $37.6 million over the next four years will boost the annual Marine Rescue NSW budget to more than $17 million.
Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Stacey Tannos welcomed the announcement and said it will improve safety for boaters right across the State, and better equip the volunteers sent to support them in emergencies.
“For the first time we’ll be able to invest in a major capital works program to provide our units with efficient, safe and modern operating facilities,” Commissioner Tannos said.
Marine Rescue NSW operates a network of 44 rescue units along the NSW coastline, and at two priority inland waterways on the Alpine Lakes and Murray River.
In 2017-18, crews performed 2,802 rescue missions, including 840 missions in response to life-threatening emergencies, saving more than 6,800 lives.
