More than 25 Marine Rescue NSW volunteers practiced their skills alongside members of NSW Police Marine Area Command and Surf Life Saving NSW during a Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) in Sydney Harbour on 22 June.
Three Marine Rescue NSW vessels from Port Jackson and Middle Harbour units departed their respective bases to participate in a simulated incident coordinated by Marine Area Command.
Marine Rescue NSW Central Zone Commander Dan Duemmer said the real-time exercise involved a capsized vessel off Dobroyd Head, drifting towards Balmoral, with multiple people in the water requiring urgent assistance.
“Volunteer crews were deployed from their respective units just after 8.30am and requested to undertake an inshore search in Middle Harbour.
“This simulated response is exactly how Marine Rescue NSW vessels and crews would be tasked in a real emergency, and this exercise was run to ensure we test our deployment, communication and multi-agency response,” Zone Commander Duemmer said.
The on-water response was supported by volunteer radio operators at the Marine Rescue NSW State Communications Centre at Belrose and officers from Marine Area Command at Balmain.
The NSW Government provided financial assistance for the Greater Sydney SAREX as part of its commitment to support the vital work of Marine Rescue NSW and its 3,400 volunteers.
Marine Rescue NSW is a volunteer based not-for-profit professional organisation dedicated to keeping boaters safe on the water and supporting local communities.
