Members of Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie have today celebrated the official opening of their new landmark Search and Rescue Coordination Centre on Swansea Head, which has been purpose-designed to keep boaters even safer on local waterways.
Police and Emergency Services Minister David Elliott opened the $1.8 million facility, which is the first new volunteer operations base developed thanks to the State Government’s four-year investment of $37.6 million in Marine Rescue NSW.
MRNSW Directors, Commissioner Stacey Tannos and Deputy Commissioner Alex Barrell, Yasmin Catley MP for Swansea, Greg Piper MP for Lake Macquarie, Lake Macquarie Mayor Cr Kay Fraser, Carol Proctor from the Bahtabah Aboriginal Land Council and members of the local emergency services and community joined the unit’s volunteers for today’s event, which began with a smoking ceremony.
Mr Elliott said the facility meant the Lake Macquarie volunteers now had an operations base that was specifically designed to support them in their work to keep watch over the boating community and save lives on the water.
“It is fitted with the very latest marine communications and search and rescue technology, significantly enhancing their ability to listen for distress calls from boaters in trouble and respond to emergencies around the clock,” he said.
“The NSW Government is proud to support the volunteers from Marine Rescue NSW and especially to provide them with the facilities they need to provide an even greater service to the boating community on the Hunter and Central coasts and Lake Macquarie.”
The new centre replaces the unit’s former cramped and ageing radio base, in which its volunteers had operated for decades. It is equipped with the latest generation of online marine radio technology for four radio operators and dedicated command and control facilities for planning, managing and coordinating extended and multi-agency search and rescue operations.
MRNSW Commissioner Stacey Tannos thanked the State Government for its four-year investment in new and refurbished operating facilities, 38 new rescue boats and continued upgrading of the State’s marine radio network.
“This funding is boosting our rescue capability and ensuring our volunteers have fit-for-purpose facilities designed and equipped for modern emergency management – and that means greater safety for our boating community,” he said.
Unit Commander Malcolm Druce said the new building was the culmination of extensive planning and input by the unit’s volunteers.
“This new centre is already enhancing our operations and providing our members with a safe, secure working environment. We are confident that such first-rate facilities will also help us encourage new members to join the unit,” he said.
Photos: Brad Whittaker
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