Former Marine Rescue Bermagui Unit Commander Caron Parfitt ESM departs for Helsinki on Wednesday (21 August) to take part in this week’s International Maritime Rescue Federation Women in Search and Rescue (SAR) training course.
The 2024 Women in SAR course is limited to 16 participants and is being hosted by the Finnish Lifeboat Institution from August 23 to 25 at the Bågaskär Training Centre in Inkoo, Finland.
As an IMRF Trustee, Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Alex Barrell said Ms Parfitt is extremely deserving of the opportunity to enhance her search and rescue knowledge.
“The IMRF initiative around women in SAR is a great program.
“For Marine Rescue NSW to be able to have one of our volunteer members attend and take part with participants from right around the globe is wonderful for our organisation.
“I’m sure that Caron will bring back some wonderful learnings to enhance Marine Rescue NSW,” Commissioner Barrell said.
Ms Parfitt has been volunteering with Marine Rescue Bermagui for more than 11 years and was awarded the Emergency Services Medal in June 2022.
She is an operational Coxswain and Watch Officer and recently completed a six-year tenure as Unit Commander at Marine Rescue Bermagui.
“With Caron’s skills and experience, to be able to go overseas and work with those on the international stage, showcasing our high level of training is wonderful for Caron and Marine Rescue NSW,” said Commissioner Barrell.
“The opportunity that Caron has is twofold; it is about her taking some of our skills over there but more importantly bringing back those skills that are being practiced globally.
“The whole mission of the IMRF is about enhancing maritime search and rescue across the globe and how that works in with each of those jurisdictions is really important for the safety of boaters globally,” he said.
Ms Parfitt said she is honoured to be representing the South Coast and Marine Rescue NSW at the course.
“The exercise is a huge opportunity to learn and share ideas with women from other countries who are involved in search and rescue.
“I expect there will be an enormous depth of knowledge and skill amongst the participants, many of whom represent organisations that have been saving lives on the water for generations such as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in the UK who have just celebrated 200 years.
“I am looking forward to sharing newly gained knowledge and skills with other Marine Rescue NSW volunteers when I return to further develop our search and rescue capability,” she 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.
