Dozens of Marine Rescue NSW volunteers from the Service’s Mid North Coast region will converge on Coffs Harbour this Saturday (27 July) for a major multi-agency search and rescue exercise (SAREX).
Marine Rescue NSW Northern Zone Commander Darren Hulm said the exercise will be coordinated by NSW Police Marine Area Command and involve other partner agencies including Surf Life Saving NSW, PolAir and NSW Air Ambulance.
“The reason we do SAREXs is so that we can train with Marine Area Command, NSW Water Police so that when we have a real incident off the coast or on one of our estuaries, we’re well equipped and on the front foot to respond.
“These exercises are held to put our training into practice alongside our partner agencies so when the call comes we can respond with an efficient coordinated response,” he said.
Zone Commander Hulm said the Coffs Harbour SAREX is a crucial training exercise to ensure Marine Rescue NSW volunteers are rescue ready.
“The on-water component will be held on Saturday morning with Marine Area Command to deliver a search and rescue scenario.
“The scenario is given on the morning of the exercise to try and make it as realistic as possible as far as response times are concerned.
“Crews will be tasked to search for targets (manikins) in the water along with other items associated with the scenario.
“It is really important to have other agencies involved because in a real-life situation when we are responding to an incident we will often have Surf Life Saving NSW, the Police Air Wing and the Air Ambulance involved and it comes back to our radio operators and the integral role they play in these types of responses to life-threatening incidents,” he said.
Saturday’s on-water exercise will involve Marine Rescue NSW volunteers and vessels from the Coffs Harbour, Woolgoolga, Nambucca, Trial Bay and Port Macquarie units.
“The vessels will depart Coffs Harbour International Marina around 9am Saturday morning providing an excellent opportunity for the community to see part of Marine Rescue NSW’s Mid North Coast fleet together with great viewing opportunities from various vantage points around the harbour,” Zone Commander Hulm said.
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector Rodney Page said a desktop search and rescue exercise involving 20 Marine Rescue NSW volunteers from eight Mid North Coast units (Woolgoolga, Coffs Harbour, Nambucca, Trial Bay, Port Macquarie, Camden Haven, Crowdy Harrington and Forster Tuncurry) would also be held on Saturday at the NSW RFS Fire Control Centre.
“It is a simulated desktop exercise involving all aspects of our radio operations and emergency management.
“It is important for our radio operators to practice in a controlled environment with simulated pressure so they can develop and execute communication and navigation plans effectively.
“Clear and concise communication is paramount during search and rescue missions,” Inspector Page said.
Zone Commander Hulm said all Marine Rescue NSW Mid North Coast units involved would maintain radio and on-water response in their local areas during the Coffs Harbour exercise.
“The community can be assured that in the event of a real emergency on our waterways our rescue craft and crews are ready to respond,” Zone Commander Hulm said.
He also emphasized that the community should not be concerned by the number of rescue vessels and activity off Coffs Harbour from 9am Saturday morning.
“To the members of the public and boaters who might see us out there, don’t be alarmed, we are out there doing a controlled exercise,” he said.
Marine Rescue NSW is a volunteer based not-for-profit professional organisation dedicated to keeping boaters safe on the water and supporting local communities.
