New rescue vessel for Woolgoolga
Safety on the Mid North Coast gets a boostA new $337,000 offshore rescue vessel will be officially commissioned at Woolgoolga today (October 5), boosting the emergency capability of Marine Rescue NSW volunteers on the State’s Mid North Coast.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Police and Emergency Services Minister Geoff Provest will commission Woolgoolga 30 in a ceremony attended by Coffs Harbour MP Andrew Fraser, MRNSW Commissioner Stacey Tannos, Board members John Lynch and Peter Campton and volunteers.
Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Stacey Tannos said the nine-metre vessel was a valuable addition to marine search and rescue resources on the Mid North Coast.
"Woolgoolga 30 forms an important part of Marine Rescue’s strategic safety net of offshore rescue vessels covering the NSW coastline," Commissioner Tannos said.
"This rapid response vessel is the latest to be delivered as part of our ongoing project to upgrade our rescue fleet along the coastline through the financial support of the NSW Government and the boating community.
The vessel, featuring an Ellis alloy hull, fibreglass cabin and solid buoyant collars, can travel up to 30 nautical miles offshore. It replaces the unit’s previous 11-year-old vessel, Woolgoolga 20, a 7.7m aluminium monohull, which was restricted to travelling 15nm offshore.
State of the art electronics installed on MRNSW vessels include Raymarine navigation, Icom marine radios, Furuno AIS (Automatic Identification System) and FLIR night vision, along with advanced first aid equipment including cardiac defibrillator and oxygen.
Commissioner Tannos paid tribute to the unit’s volunteers for their dedication to serving the region’s boating community.
"The Woolgoolga members are tremendously committed to saving lives on the water, giving their time selflessly to respond to emergencies, attend regular training and conduct education and fundraising activities," he said.
"I’d encourage members of the community to support their local Marine Rescue unit’s summer raffle. First prize in each raffle is an AnglaPro MR384 runabout, fitted with a 9.9hp four-stroke Suzuki outboard, on a Dunbier trailer, valued at almost $9000."
Commissioner Tannos reminded boaters to always log on and log off with their local Marine Rescue radio base whenever they are on the water. To find your local base, visit www.marinerescuensw.com.au
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