New NSW Marine Rescue flooded with expressions of interest

9:50 PM Tue 21 Jul 2009 GMT

'The "Peter E Weston" and the new MARINE RESCUE NSW uniform.' . Click Here to view large photo

On Tuesday 21July 2009, the 2,000th Expression of Interest was registered on the website of MARINE RESCUE NSW, the new, single, unified volunteer marine rescue organisation in NSW.

"This is very encouraging and indicates a very high level of interest in the new organisation" said Michael Seale, Chairman of the Board of Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol, the largest of the three existing volunteer marine rescue groups in NSW.

Marine Rescue NSW - doing the job of three - .. .

Members of these three groups, Coast Guard, Coastal Patrol and VRA Marine, will unify to become MARINE RESCUE NSW and provide the NSW boating public with the largest marine rescue safety net of any state in Australia.

"This is a course that has long had the support of the recreational boating industry in NSW" said Michael Seale, "And it is one that I have personally supported for the last twenty years. I am very proud that this has taken place during my time as the Chairman of the Coastal Patrol."

There are still many matters to resolve during the transition period from existing organisations to MARINE RESCUE NSW. Operations of all existing units will continue as usual until such time as each unit is ready to formally become part of MARINE RESCUE NSW.

This is expected to take up to 18 months for all to complete although a large number of units are ready to make the transition within the next few months.

From the point of view of the boating public, the most important aspects of the change are:

1.It will be business as usual until the formal change;
2.It will be business as usual after the change but even more efficient and progressively better equipped.

The marine rescue volunteers' mission will not change. It continues to be Safety of Life at Sea through the effective and timely provision of:

Marine Search and Rescue services
Marine Radio Communications
Boating Safety Education

MARINE RESCUE NSW will be launched to the public at the Sydney International Boat Show commencing July 30. The volunteers' new blue uniforms will be the first visible sign of the new organisation and two rescue vessels will show off the new white and red livery that will be introduced as existing vessels are replaced or refurbished.

These two vessels will be on the Boat Show marina and comprise the new Steber 28 "Peter E. Weston" based at Broken Bay, the first new vessel in the MARINE RESCUE NSW livery and the 44ft Waveney Class "P&O Nedlloyd Stratheden" from Botany Bay which is the first of the existing vessels to be painted in the new livery.