Alex Barrell started off as a nipper at North Curl Curl SLC. He now has the top job at Marine Rescue NSW.
A life of commitment to maritime and rescue services has led Northern Beaches local Alex Barrell to become the new commissioner of Marine Rescue NSW. The path to his career in rescue started in his teenage years, as a local volunteer with North Curl Curl Surf Lifesaving Club.
Alex Barrell says he is very happy to look after Marine Rescue’s 3,300 volunteers.
“From a nipper right through as an adult member, I have been involved in the club,” Alex says. “This got me into the rescue services at a young age, through doing my certificate, and then later my bronze medallion,”. The bronze medallion award has been the benchmark for lifesavers all over the world for over 100 years.
After some rescue roles within the surf club, Alex worked for Warringah Council as a lifeguard. “I also spent a small stint overseas working in the Channel Islands – an archipelago in the English Channel, off the coast of France – as a beach guard,” he says.
Alex initially joined NSW Police doing general duties before moving to the NSW police divers, eventually working at the newly formed water police station at Eden, down on the far South coast.
His stint in Eden made the most impression on Alex over his long career. “After having spent over 21 years with the water police, both diving and working on the water, I have seen all manner of jobs.
“But much of the time I spent down working in Eden, and some of the conditions in which we undertook rescues, particularly down in Bass Strait, will always stay with me,” he says.
After Eden, Alex moved back to Sydney and remained with the water police, co-ordinating the Botany Bay and Sydney Water sectors, before moving into the management of marine search and rescue for the NSW Water Police.
Eventually, after a stint at Roads and Maritime Services, he become deputy commissioner of operations and capability for Marine Rescue NSW. “It was something I was very interested in,” says Alex. “I’ve always been very passionate about maritime search and rescue, but also passionate and very respectful of the work that our volunteers do, day in day out, right along the NSW coastline, supporting the boaters.”
The new commissioner says there are over 3,300 volunteers at Maritime Rescue NSW.
“I’ve come through the ranks as a rescue practitioner, which really gives me a great understanding of the challenges that our volunteers face,” he says. “Particularly in the rescue environment, it can be extremely hazardous, and it can turn hazardous very quickly.”
Data shows two out of three rescues could be avoidable. “Things like engine breakdowns, running out of fuel and poor maintenance on vessels unfortunately lead to a lot of the incidents that we respond to,” he says.
Three simple steps could avoid lots of trouble. “The first thing, is boaters need to check the weather conditions. Secondly, they need to make sure that their boat is in good working order, and that they have all the required safety equipment on board, particularly life jackets.
And from our perspective, it’s very important that they log on with their local Marine Rescue base through the free Marine Rescue app, or over the VHF Marine radio channel 16.”
By Patricia Alonso