2023-2026
Developed in consultation with our members and staff, I’m proud to present to you the Marine Rescue NSW Strategic Plan 2023-2026. This plan identifies what needs to be done to build on our past achievements, provide the best support to our members and realise our vision of providing a world-class volunteer rescue service dedicated to preventing injury and death on our waterways.
Underpinned by our values of service, teamwork, professionalism, respect and history, our plan has four key focus areas of Our People, Our Service, Our Organisation and Our Business.
Our members are the lifeblood of our service, and ensuring they are able to carry out their vital work is at the very heart of everything we do. To achieve this we will work with our membership to deliver the training, equipment and resources they need to fulfil their role safely, and enjoyably, in an emergency service setting.
We will deliver consistently excellent emergency services for the community of NSW, giving the community and our partners confidence in our capability as a skilled, reliable and effective emergency service organisation. We will accomplish this by continuing to build a world-class fleet and marine
communications network together with better facilities and equipment, the innovative use of technology, and through direct engagement with our partners and the communities we serve.
Ensuring we are financially sustainable and effective by strengthening our systems, processes and procedures will ensure we can continue to meet our objectives. Importantly, this will be achieved while minimising the administrative burden faced by our members.
Our future success depends upon a strong, cohesive and unified organisation that operates as ‘One Marine Rescue’. Together as one team we are stronger, and better able to build a modern, responsive, professional and effective emergency service.
As the past few years have clearly shown, unseen challenges can arise without warning. Because of this, it is vital we have a solid plan for the future - to better weather what lies ahead and to ensure we can continue to provide our essential services for the community of NSW.
I urge all of you to read and embrace our strategic plan and to work together in building a world-class emergency service.
Over the past year, our leadership team and the Marine Rescue NSW Board have worked diligently to chart a fresh course for our organisation’s future.
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Established in 2009, Marine Rescue NSW has over 3,200 volunteers operating from 45 units across NSW.
Our organisation brings together three predecessor organisations and has a long and proud history.
35,000+ rescue operations
Having demonstrated our viability as a volunteer emergency service, we have examined our strategy, operations and service delivery models to meet current and future operational environments and demand.
In recent years, there has been solid growth in boat ownership in NSW. While we faced, and overcame, operational challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, the last two years have been our busiest on record with 479,674 radio calls, 8,156 rescues and 18,521 boaters returned safely to shore. Since our inception, we have launched over 35,000 rescue operations and rescued over 74,000 boaters.
Our core purpose is to provide a 24/7 volunteer marine search, rescue and communication service, and our capabilities encompass:
● the only marine radio safety service to people and vessels operating within NSW coastal environments, estuaries, rivers and lakes.
● the provision of the State’s only Log On services to keep track of boats on the water and watch for their safe return
● promotion of boating safety among the public
74,000+ boaters rescued
as a Registered Training Organisation which delivers purpose-designed training courses to ensure both members and the community have the knowledge and skills they need to remain safe on the water
● localised advice from our community of members who are armed with local knowledge and experience
Marine Rescue NSW is an independent not-for-profit organisation. We operate as an emergency service organisation within the NSW rescue and emergency management framework, working closely with State and Federal operational and regulatory agencies and authorities to improve safety on the water.
The strategy identifies the initiatives and activities we will undertake to improve our business and organisation, to support the safety and development of our members and to improve safety outcomes on NSW waters through the provision of our world-class volunteer rescue service.
A world-class volunteer search, rescue and communication service to prevent injury and death on NSW waterways
Saving lives on the water
Our Core
Our People
Our Service
Our Organisation
Enhance education, engagement and the volunteering experience of our people
Excellence in emergency service operations
Our Business
Enthusiastic, engaged and empowered members and staff who are well trained to fulfil their role safely in an emergency service setting
Operate consistently as ‘One Marine Rescue’
An organisation that delivers consistently excellent emergency services for the community of NSW
A strong, cohesive and unified organisation that delivers consistently and operates as ‘One Marine Rescue’
Drive efficiency and effectiveness in all areas of our business
A sustainable; effective organisation that creates lasting value for all
This strategic plan outlines the future direction of Marine Rescue NSW, within the context of our strategic vision and mission.
The Marine Rescue NSW Strategic Plan has been developed with input from our Board, leadership team, staff and members. It reflects the joint aspirations of our Board, Commissioner and staff to deliver better service and support to our members, and ultimately better outcomes for the boating community of NSW.
As an independent, not-for-profit, member driven organisation, we acknowledge the importance of our volunteer base, and for this reason we will be strongly focused on improving our organisation, governance and interactions with members to shape a safer environment in, on and around the water for everyone.
Service
We are dedicated to boating safety and saving lives
Teamwork
We work together to face our challenges and achieve our goals
Professionalism
We focus on accountability, transparency and excellence
Respect
We thrive in a culture of respect for our people, the community and the environment
History
We will always look to the future but we will never forget our past
In everything we say or do, we will;
● Recognise and respect the commitment, volunteer ethos and courage of our people
● Foster a culture of professionalism and excellence in how we provide our service
● Celebrate and promote the significant role that our organisation plays as an emergency service
● Innovate and embrace opportunities for continuous improvement in how we manage our business
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Our values underpin our strategic objectives and shape who we are, what we do and the way we go about getting our work done.
Objective Enhance education, engagement and the volunteering experience of our people
Outcome
Enthusiastic, engaged and empowered members and staff who are well trained to fulfil their role safely in an emergency service setting
Actions
● We recognise our people are our most important asset.
● We will provide a safe environment for our members and staff with first class training and equipment.
● We will enhance our approach to evaluating and driving member engagement.
● We will review and improve the way in which we attract and retain a diverse membership.
● We will provide a respectful and inclusive environment.
Undertake an annual member engagement survey to develop benchmarks and enable regular measurement of member satisfaction.
Undertake a review of ratings and the training syllabus to ensure operational relevance, maximise our capability and increase the number of rated members.
Identify opportunities to partner with community and interest groups to expand community awareness and attract a diverse range of new members.
Develop and implement regular communication with members to inform and engage.
Implement a respectful workplace policy and supporting procedures aligned with our Code of Conduct and organisational values.
Outcome
An organisation that delivers consistently excellent emergency services for the community of NSW
Actions
● We will refine our ways of working to drive community confidence and the pursuit of excellence.
● We will work closely with our partners to influence safety awareness on NSW waterways.
● We will enhance community understanding of our organisation and the emergency services we provide.
Undertake a state-wide capability review to ensure our organisation’s people and assets continue to meet the needs of the community of NSW.
Develop and implement a multi-faceted program of community engagement, marketing and media campaigns to increase the number of boaters Logging On and encourage safe boating behaviour.
Implement a digital management system to ensure safe and compliant on-water operation of our vessels.
Develop a learning pathway in emergency management operations for members and staff to enhance capability and increase support during large-scale multi-agency responses.
Enhance member knowledge, skills and expertise in emergency operations through continued cross agency exercises.
Implement revised WHS and Risk Management frameworks to inform and lead safe operations across our organisation.
Operate consistently as ‘One Marine Rescue’
A strong, cohesive and unified organisation that delivers consistently and operates as ‘One Marine Rescue’
● We will refocus our service delivery to provide the best service to our members, partners and the community of NSW.
● We will guide and develop our existing and future leaders.
● We will support units so that they understand their authority and are motivated to work as a team.
● We will improve consistency in knowledge sharing and co-operation across the organisation.
Undertake review and redesign of our corporate governance documents including the constitution, rules, policies and standard operating procedures.
Establish a tailored leadership program to develop current and future leaders of our organisation. Revise our member recruitment and induction process to deliver a streamlined and consistent member experience.
Introduce a lessons management framework to review and share operational and WHS learnings. Deliver media and communications training and materials to members and staff to boost capability and ensure our organisation is represented professionally and consistently.
A sustainable; effective organisation that creates lasting value for all Actions
● We will increase clarity and understanding of roles and responsibilities within the organisation.
● We will drive efficiency and streamline processes for members.
● We will ensure our systems and processes support our members and minimise any administrative burden.
● We will continue to maximise revenue streams to strengthen our financial position.
Undertake a review of position descriptions, paid and voluntary, to ensure they remain relevant to our current business environment.
Develop IT systems to facilitate collaboration and reduce reliance on paper based processes. Introduce a reporting and data management framework to enhance decision making and improve resource allocation.
Continue to build our relationship with NSW Government to secure ongoing financial support. Establish and strengthen relationships with key stakeholders and partners to maximise funding from grants and sponsorship activities.
This strategic plan identifies several strategies which will support Marine Rescue NSW in both fulfilling our mission and achieving our vision over the next three years. Much of the work is focused on improving the services and support offered to our members, which in turn will improve the overall outcomes delivered to the community of NSW.
We will establish a framework to ensure appropriate oversight of the implementation of this plan.
Our success will be measured by several factors:
● Increase in member retention
● Increase in diversity within our volunteer membership
● Improvement in member engagement and satisfaction
● Increase in number of rated members
● Increase in revenue streams and strengthened financial position
● Increase in number of days our vessels are on the water
● Increase in number of boaters Logging On
● Decrease in injury and accident rates involving our members
The Board have worked closely with the Marine Rescue NSW leadership team in the development of this plan, and we are confident it provides a strong foundation for our future and will enable us to better serve our membership and the boating community.
Underpinned by our values, this plan acknowledges the critical importance of our volunteer base, and places a strong emphasis on improving our processes, governance and interactions with members to shape a safer environment in the delivery of our services to the boating community of NSW.
The success of our plan, and the future of our organisation depends on all of us supporting it and embracing the changes that need to be made. As any sailor can attest, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and this is why it is so important that we all understand and support the plan to enable it the best chance of success.
Let us, then, adopt ‘One Marine Rescue’ as our new mantra and sail as one team into a brighter future.
As Chair of the Marine Rescue NSW Board I am pleased to provide the Board’s endorsement of the Marine Rescue NSW 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.Marine
