From Rescued to Rescuer
Marine Rescue Hawkesbury volunteer joins crew that saved her A camping trip in the Brisbane Water National Park ended with a multi-agency rescue on New Year’s Eve 2022 for Romy Hodgson, her friend,...
Accidental member
Blaise Madden has been a teacher and educational leader throughout his professional life but he has always found the time to volunteer his service as well, starting as a volunteer teacher in Papua New Guinea in the early 1970s.
After spending years raising funds, taking disadvantaged students on adventure camps and coaching sports teams, he was awarded Life Membership of Apex.
Blaise and his wife Dorothy retired to the quiet life in Tuross Head, where he joined the local Volunteer Rescue Association in 2010, just as it made the move to MRNSW.
In 2013, he was elected Unit Commander and during his six-year term the unit saw marked growth in both membership and facilities. He emphasises that it has been a team effort.
Why did you join Marine Rescue? It was a misunderstanding! Volunteering has always been a part of my life, mostly leading outdoor activities, including abseiling, rock climbing, bushwalking and scuba diving. When we arrived at Tuross, I learnt that there was a Volunteer Rescue Association unit looking for new members. I assumed that the organisation was a land-based rescue organisation, in which I thought I could use my skills, so I went down to check it out. But it was all about the water! However, I was welcomed to join. It was a very steep learning curve, as I had limited marine vessel experience. I trained on the water on a weekly basis and undertook the mandatory courses. It was a small unit, some key people moved on and by 2013, I found myself Unit Commander. I continued my learning, completing two years at TAFE to become a Coxswain, as well as an additional year to qualify as Master 5. I have undertaken extra courses including a Cert IV in Training and Assessment, a Cert III in Front Line Management, Invigilator for VHF radio courses and Rescue Water Craft Operator.
What were your main responsibilities as Unit Commander? MRNSW was only launched in 2010 and a great deal of work was required to restructure from the old VRA and implement new guidelines to ensure the safety of all concerned, as well as the fair allocation and use of government and community funding. I particularly valued attending the regional Unit Commanders’ meetings, where I could learn from what others were doing. Our unit is responsible for the waters from Broulee Island to Potato Point. As Tuross Bar is charted as non-navigable, MRNSW does not allow vessels to be towed across it. I therefore started planning for an MR vessel to be located on the Moruya River because on any holiday weekend there are at least 30 vessels heading out over the bar. The need for a rescue vessel close by was obvious, as was proved soon after by a bar fatality. We can (now) action call-outs from either location.
What are you most pleased about having achieved? Getting more people involved. It’s a big ask and sometimes people move on, which is sad, but we do now have 25 members, and at least 15 of them are really active. I’m also pleased to have organised a new AirBerth at the Tuross base and also a permanent berth on the Moruya River. That took three years in planning, Development Approval and then the actual building.
March 2020
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