Planning for an emergency • Force to be reckoned with

Planning for an emergency

Search and rescue exercises set to return in 2022

Some of the participants in the planning day at the State Communications Centre at Belrose.

In late March, representatives of Marine Area Command met with senior staff from Marine Rescue NSW to plan for this year’s round of Search and Rescue Exercises (SAREXs).

The meeting was conducted at the Marine Rescue NSW State Communications Centre in Belrose, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Marine Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner Alex Barrell said that the planning day was a great example of agencies working together for the benefit of the community.

“NSW Police Marine Area Command and Marine Rescue NSW regularly collaborate in a series of exercises designed to build understanding between each agency, so when a real emergency strikes, we are able to better respond.”

“These exercises simulate complex, real-life situations, providing our volunteer members with a range of testing scenarios that help build their skills and boost intra and cross agency collaboration.”

Major exercises will be held in Ulladulla, Greater Sydney and Port Macquarie; with localised exercises in Shellharbour, Brunswick/Ballina and Eden.

At the exercises, Marine Rescue NSW crews will be joined by personnel from the NSW Police Force Marine Area Command, Australian Maritime Safety

Authority, Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter and Surf Life Saving NSW.

In attendance at the planning meeting were Marine Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner Alex Barrell, General Manager Training and Capability Chris Butler, Zone Commander Central Darren Schott, Zone Commander South Mike Hammond, Zone Commander

North Mal Jeffs and Development Officer Sophie Galvin. Sergeant Ryan Spong, Inspector David Carlin and Chief Inspector Tony Brazzill represented NSW Police.

These exercises simulate complex, real-life situations, “ providing our volunteer members with a range of testing scenarios“

Force to be reckoned with

Volunteers from Marine Rescue Port Jackson star in new TV series

Members of Marine Rescue’s Port Jackson unit based at Birkenhead Point on Sydney’s iconic harbour have hit the small screen in a new Discovery Channel series that commenced airing in early April.

The volunteers from Marine Rescue Port Jackson were involved in the filming of the Discovery Channel show Sydney Harbour Force over the summer of 2020-21, making it past the cutting room floor and appearing in six of the show’s also the wide range of people who have the mammoth task of policing and protecting this World Heritage Site.”

During the filming, the Port

ten episodes.

The show, supported by Screen NSW, was created following the success of Sydney Harbour Patrol that had previously aired on Discovery, and which had proved one of their most popular shows.

The Chief Executive Officer of production company WTFN, Daryl Talbot, said: “Nothing embodies Australia more than Sydney Harbour… showcasing not just its man-made and natural wonders, but Jackson volunteers were involved in several emergency responses, showing their skills and abilities to the cameras and a world-wide audience of well over 100 million.

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