Father’s Day was a time to reflect on the contribution fathers make not just to their families, but also to their communities.
Father and son duo Andrew and David Murn have volunteered for Marine Rescue NSW for a combined total of thirteen years, much of that time working side by side at the service’s Batemans Bay unit.
Son David joined MRNSW in October 2015, after looking for somewhere to volunteer after moving to the coast from Canberra a couple of years earlier. David spoke to a Marine Rescue member at the local markets about joining, and before long his membership process was underway. As he’s not as physically able as some people, Marine Rescue gave David an option to volunteer for an emergency service where his skills were more important than his physical strength.
David initially trained as a vessel Crew Member and Radio Operator, gradually taking on other roles, and is now a qualified Vessel Master and Watch Officer and the Deputy Unit Commander of the Batemans Bay unit, as well as heavily involved in fundraising – impressive achievements for someone whose previous boating experience had been limited to fishing from a friend’s tinny!
Andrew and David Murn on radio duty together
For David the appeal of Marine Rescue NSW is being able to help others in their time of need.
“That can be as simple as providing boating advice to someone new to our local waterways, or rescuing a seasick crew member far offshore in inclement weather,” said David.
“I also enjoy working with the other volunteers, many of whom have become close friends as well as colleagues.
”According to David, the first time his dad visited the unit, he was giving him a tour of the base when a Mayday call came in for a crew member who had fallen overboard from a sailing vessel. His father got to see how the response was coordinated and was quite impressed. Within a year of David joining, his father too had become a Marine Rescue volunteer, joining the Marine Rescue Batemans Bay in August 2016.
“After forty odd years working in the Commonwealth Public Service I’d seen several people retire and die within a few years – one on the day of his retirement. I knew that one way to prolong my life would be to have a reason to get out of bed each morning – or at least most mornings. Well, some mornings!”, laughed Andrew.
“I waited until David qualified, liked what I saw, spoke with the Unit Commander, and was eventually inducted.”
“I was also motivated by the need to have something to do in retirement, and to work with David. I’ve had four careers within the Public Service since 1968, and regarded the move to Marine Rescue NSW as another step, but with a bit less pay – I often tell people that my salary is a sausage sandwich per month – on demand! All my working life, I’ve made the point that it’s not the work, it’s the people that I’ve worked with and the friends that I’ve made.
”Having had a little experience with radios, becoming a Radio Operator was a natural step for Andrew, with fundraising another area he enjoys helping with.
“I get seasick on the Manly Ferry,” said Andrew, “so I’m not greatly tempted to go on the boats!”
In the beginning, in the Radio Room David and his father worked together a lot of the time.
Said Andrew, “this was very deliberate strategy on my part. On our first shift together, I told David “You’re the boss. I’ll just do as I’m told”. Later I recognised that I could take some of the load off his shoulders. For instance, once I was qualified as a Radio Officer, I could free him up to answer call-outs.”
For Andrew, now in his seventies, Marine Rescue NSW is a good place to volunteer.
“Most of the time, it’s quiet, with occasional moments of all hands on deck. If you know that you can rely on each other, a good relationship makes those moments easier. But the same thing can be said about other workmates.”
“In Marine Rescue NSW, there are occasional deaths or near death experiences. Such times are extremely difficult for a father. There are times when I am so proud of David, that my heart just wants to burst. The summer of 2019/2020 was one such occasion. The effort that everyone put in as we helped people shelter from the fires was mind blowing, but I was worried about him every moment, and there were some terrible moments.”
“I joined because my son was already involved, and I wanted to work with him. But he’s in his 40s, and I’m in my 70s. While I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that he is his own man, and Deputy Unit Commander, he is also my son – and I am very proud of him.
”This Father’s Day, spare a thought for those fathers freely giving of their time to help out their communities. People like David and his father Andrew, who together are helping to save lives on the water.
