Volunteers saving lives on the water Quarterly Journal of Marine Rescue NSW | Issue 41, Summer 2019 COAST ABLAZE Crews on high alert in bushfire emergency SUMMER BOATING Make safety your priority GOOD SPORTS Sign up for 2020 Games PLUS: Close result in Board election | A member for life | New fleet builder CONTENTS Issue 41 | Summer 2019 Quarterly Journal of Marine Rescue NSW Cover Image THE HELM Smoke on the water. Marine Rescue NSW units have been on high alert 2 • Commissioner’s report during the State’s recent bushfire emergency. With fires raging in the north, 4 • Chair’s report Brunswick 30 is shrouded in smoke during a training exercise. ON THE RADAR Photo: MR Brunswick Unit Commander Jonathon Wilcock. 3 • New Northern Rivers Director joins Board Publisher • Life Member looks forward to giving more Marine Rescue NSW 5 • Enjoy summer but do your bit to stay safe 202 Nicholson Parade • $200,000 in grants for training, recruitment Cronulla NSW 2230 6-7 • Marine Rescue on alert to support response to Contact unprecedented bushfire emergency Kate Woods 9 • New boat builder supports fleet expansion Phone: 02 8071 4848 • Taking the lead requires skill and support Email: [email protected] 10 • Delegation learns about rescue management 11 • Emergency services honour fallen volunteers Design and Layout • First Protocol Officer set the standard high Nicole Brown 13 • Safety campaign targets online audience Advertising • Faces of volunteering promote its benefits Graham Joss 14 • Marine Rescue competitors good sports Email: [email protected] 15 • Members urged to sign up for 2020 Games Phone: 0419 492 836 16 • Free lifejacket clinics, flare disposal near you Printing MAKING WAVES Ligare Book Printers 19-23 Northern Rivers News Head office: 138-152 Bonds Road, Riverwood NSW 2210 • Iluka Yamba • Cape Byron • Brunswick Marine Rescue NSW is pleased to acknowledge the invaluable support of our • Ballina • Evans Head • Wooli Soundings advertisers. • Point Danger 24-28 Mid North Coast News © Copyright Volunteer Marine Rescue New South Wales. Reproduction in • Camden Haven • Woolgoolga • Forster-Tuncurry whole or in part prohibited without permission of the publisher. • Nambucca • Port Macquarie • Coffs Harbour Marine Rescue NSW encourages the use of Soundings articles on boating • Crowdy Harrington safety. Permission to use and supply of relevant images can be obtained 30-34 Hunter/Central Coast News from the publisher. • Norah Head • SAREX • Port Stephens • Tuggerah Lakes • Lake Macquarie • Central Coast • Newcastle 35-37 Greater Sydney News • Hawkesbury • Cottage Point • Broken Bay • Terrey Hills • Middle Harbour • Port Jackson 39-42 Illawarra News • Sussex Inlet • Shoalhaven • Kioloa MARINE RESCUE NSW • Ulladulla • Jervis Bay • Shellharbour • Port Kembla Volunteers saving lives on the water 43-46 Monaro News Volunteer Marine Rescue New South Wales • SAREX • Bermagui • Eden ABN 98 138 078 092 • Batemans Bay • Merimbula • Narooma PO Box 579 PICTURE GALLERY Cronulla NSW 2230 17, 29, 47 • What we’ve been up to Phone: 02 8071 4848 Fax: 02 9969 5214 Email: [email protected] IN MEMORIAM, IT’S ALL IN THE CLUES 48 • Tributes to valued members, MRNSW crossword SOUNDINGS | MARINE RESCUE NSW 1 THE HELM ON THE RADAR Official business Volunteers vote From the Commissioner New Northern Rivers Director joins Board We’re well prepared for summer and looking forward to a promising new year. Record participation by region’s members in 10th annual elections. s this year’s peak boating the water, I remind all our members our long-standing support for the ecord voter turnout resulted in a He welcomed Mr Henriksen Aseason started in October, to ensure they have adequate rest, NSW boat building industry and the Rclose contest for the position of to the Board and congratulated considerable areas of our state stay well hydrated and safeguard valuable employment and income it Northern Rivers Regional Director on the returning regional directors, were already in the grip of raging their health. creates in our regional centres. the MRNSW Board. paying tribute to the marine rescue, bushfires. We are well prepared for the At this time of the year, it would MR Point Danger member Darcy professional and life skills each Well before summer, fires were summer, with members of three be remiss of me not to thank the Henriksen was announced as the director brought to the table. swallowing large tracts of bushland regions recently testing their people who have supported and successful candidate at the Annual Capping a day of big news for and encroaching on towns and capability and equipment in Search contributed to our organisation General Meeting, held at the State MR Point Danger, Unit Commander small settlements along the northern and Rescue Exercises and units in throughout the year. We owe the Headquarters on November 23, Glenda Ashby was made a Life coastline. all regions concentrating on training Premier and former and current narrowly edging out MR Evans Member of MRNSW (see below). One of the major strengths of the throughout the cooler months. Police and Emergency Services Head’s Karin Brown. Commissioner Stacey Tannos NSW emergency services is that Our communications Ministers, Troy Grant and David A record 37 per cent of the 307 outlined the organisation’s Commissioner while each has its specific combat infrastructure has been upgraded Elliott, a debt of gratitude for their eligible members voted in the poll. achievements over 2018-2019. Stacey Tannos ESM role, all work together to protect and with major new installations on the valuable recognition of our service Mr Henriksen, who has been He said MRNSW had performed assist our community and to support South Coast to eliminate blackspots and volunteers. a member since 2007, thanked about 2,700 rescues, of which Commissioner Stacey Tannos and the 2020 Marine each other in times of disaster and the volunteers for their vote of around 820 were in response to and improve reception. New online The Board of Directors are Rescue NSW Board after the Annual General Meeting. emergency. technology is being progressively the strongest advocates for our confidence and said he was life-threatening emergencies. Inset: Pat Fayers. I am proud that our members installed in units to build our online members and I thank them for honoured and privileged to be taking He thanked the 3,000 volunteers have so ably stepped up to support marine radio network. their support for our work this year. on the position of responsibility. for their hard work, commitment and contribution, saying more were have the unit operational, with a the response to this unprecedented We are continuing to enhance Congratulations to newly-elected General Director and Board Chair willingness to accept change and being hired to support the delivery base built, volunteers trained and a bushfire emergency, whether on the Jim Glissan was elected unopposed, adopt increasing technology. of new communications, vessels boat in place,” he said. water, ready to evacuate residents or Thank you to our volunteers, who are the heart as were returning Mid North Coast “We all have one goal – to grow and facilities funded from the $37.6 Grant Thornton Audit Partner transport firefighers, or through their and soul of this organisation. Regional Director John Lynch and the organisation and provide a million in extra funding announced James Winter said he had no communications expertise, providing Hunter/Central Coast Regional safety net for the boating community by the State Government, including concerns about MRNSW, with essential information to the public our fleet, with new and refurbished Northern Rivers Regional Director Director Jim Wright. Mr Glissan was and we do that extremely well.” the new Lord Howe Island unit. continued improvement in its through the Bushfire Information vessels in service for summer, Darcy Henriksen and the re-elected subsequently reelected as Chair. He commended the staff for their “This time next year we hope to professionalism and quality of work. Line or working directly with their providing even more of our volunteer Mid North Coast and Hunter/Central NSW Rural Fire Service colleagues. crews with safe, modern and reliable Coast Directors John Lynch and Jim Many of our people double-up as assets for their life-saving work. Wright and Chair Jim Glissan. RFS volunteers and I particularly If you had asked me last year It was a pleasure to be able to Life Member looks forward to giving more commend them for their service. what I wanted for Christmas, I would speak with our unit leaders over the Unit Commander surprised to be joined by family for presentation. This busy start to the boating have said additional government weekend at this year’s Leadership season has been demanding funding to support our organisation. Conference. Our Unit Commanders arine Rescue Point Danger Unit first in Volunteer Marine Rescue operationally and no doubt the Santa Claus might not have left and Deputies carry an extra burden MCommander Glenda Ashby has Queensland and latterly in MRNSW. sustained threat of fire and constant me a cheque under the Christmas of responsibility and deserve thanks been awarded Life Membership of “You’re a shining light and the smoke in the air have been wearing tree but NSW Premier Gladys for the endless hours and many Marine Rescue NSW. kind of example we want to set to for those in affected communities. Berejiklian certainly ensured it would demands placed on them. UC Ashby, who has been a other members,” he said As we enter our busiest period on be a happy new year when she Each of our staff members works member since 1999, was named “We’re very grateful for the work announced $37.6 million in extra like a Trojan, far beyond what I could as the 2019 Life Member at the Glenda has done.