MAKING WAVES Mid North Coast & Hunter/Central Coast News
Choppy river and bar test RWC operators Twenty volunteers take to water at first joint regional training camp.
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he historic Trial Bay Gaol provided an imposing backdrop for 20 volunteers taking part in the first joint Mid North Coast and Hunter/Central Coast Regional Rescue Water Craft training camp in November. The RWC operators from the Central Coast, Lake Macquarie, Port Macquarie, Trial Bay and Nambucca units spent two days honing operational procedures and practising drills on the Macleay River and bar and offshore. The training event, based at the Trial Bay unit, was led by Northern Rivers Regional Operations Manager John Murray and Regional Training Manager North Rodney Page, with support from Assistant Director Training and Education Chris Butler, Regional Training Manager South
Mark Sheehan and Paul Hanlon pass Trial Bay Gaol on board Central Coast 11 during an offshore run as part of a joint regional RWC training exercise. Photo: Chris Butler.
Stuart Massey and State Training Manager Dave Brown. Mr Murray said five RWC operators had completed operational assessments on the first day. “We spent time refreshing
Standard Operating Procedures and Risk Management before the team completed their first drills in the river and on the bar in choppy conditions,” he said. “On Sunday we returned to the bar and then
crossed to Laggers Point to practice beaching and relaunching and operations with a passenger or patient. The event was a success, with the operators all completing their six monthly drills.”
Radio work eliminates Crowdy blackspot
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he installation of new communications technology at MR Crowdy Harrington is being carried out in conjunction with an upgrade to the radio tower at Middle Brother, eliminating a persistent blackspot on Crowdy Harbour. DUC Kevin Nicholls, Kevin Bailey and Ray Mazurek, on board Crowdy 20, assisted NSW Police divers investigating a car that had plunged into the Manning River from the Scotts Creek Bridge south of Harrington on November 3. A man’s body was recovered (above).
26 MARINE RESCUE NSW | SOUNDINGS
A week later, Crowdy 30, with crew of Keith Richardson, Kevin Nicholls, Kevin Bailey and Aaron Orton, shadowed a 35 foot lobster boat experiencing gearbox problems back to Crowdy Harbour, manouevring it to safety. Jim Fulton, Leon Elelman and Cheryl Rowe have recently passed their Radio Operator’s assessments, Kevin Nicholls has gained his Coxswain certification and former Treasurer Pam Fisher has received her five-year Long Service Pin. Mary Thomas