Farewell to the grand man of Marine Rescue NSW, Bruce Mitchell.
Today is Bruce’s last day of active duty as a staff member, after a long and stellar career with Marine Rescue.
Bruce Mitchell (centre) with Marine Rescue Commissioner Stacey Tannos (left) and Deputy Commissioner Alex Barrell (right).
After retiring in 1998, keen fisherman Bruce joined the then Australian Volunteer Coast Guard (AVCG) in 2001, rising quickly through the ranks as a volunteer to become Squadron Commodore.
When the AVCG transitioned into Marine Rescue, Bruce was offered the role of Regional Coordinator, a position that evolved into the paid role of Regional Operations Manager Illawarra, and more recently, Zone Duty Operations Manager Illawarra.
Bruce is highly regarded for his dedication to marine safety and to the volunteers under his care, and will be sorely missed.
Asked about his time with Marine Rescue, Bruce said that he’d seen a lot of change, and it was definitely for the better.
“I’ve seen lots of good changes, with a better fleet, improved radio communications and much better training,” Bruce said.
“It is, however, getting harder to attract volunteers as everyone is travelling more and not as available to volunteer as they used to be.”
“I’ll be doing my bit to address that by spending some of my retirement doing radio shifts at the Shoalhaven Marine Rescue unit.”
Bruce’s position as Zone Duty Operations Manager will be filled by Stuart Massey, who as the Illawarra’s Regional Training Manager, brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role.
Thank you Bruce for your service, and all the best for your retirement.
