Rescue exercise in NSW
Big marine rescue event off Sydney this weekendRescue specialists from the Sydney region will take to the water off Broken Bay and the Northern Beaches to search for four 'victims' missing at sea as part of a major capability exercise this Sunday, June 1.
The search will be the culmination of a two-day regional Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) designed to test agencies’ marine search and rescue practices and coordination.
Marine Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner Dean Storey said more than 70 volunteers from nine MRNSW units across Sydney and the Central Coast would take part in the two days of theoretical and practical training sessions.
"This SAREX is the second in our 2014 series of exercises to be held along the coastline to hone marine rescue search and rescue skills and cooperation between agencies," Deputy Commissioner Storey said.
"It’s a major component of our ongoing annual training program for our volunteers from Sydney, who also will be joined by members of two Central Coast units that operate adjacent to the Broken Bay area.
"Members of Marine Rescue Middle Harbour, Port Jackson, Botany Port Hacking, Terrey Hills, Cottage Point, Hawkesbury, Broken Bay, Central Coast and Terrigal will assemble for the weekend," Mr Storey added.
The event will also involve personnel from the NSW Police Force Marine Area Command, NSW Roads and Maritime Services, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Surf Life Saving NSW.
The weekend will start with a day of table-top exercises and lectures at the Royal Motor Yacht Club at Newport on Saturday.
On Sunday morning, the fleet of nine MRNSW vessels and the Police launch Nemesis will work together in a practical exercise aimed at locating and retrieving four dummies dropped into the ocean off Broken Bay by the Westpac helicopter to simulate people missing at sea in a major emergency.
Deputy Commissioner Storey said the SAREX series helped strengthen joint agency capability.
"This is essential to ensure that we have the best possible chance of finding and rescuing someone in the water as soon as possible in an emergency, when time is always of the essence," he said.
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