Marine Rescue Terrigal is to be reinstated as a stand-alone unit, six years after it was amalgamated with the Central Cast unit based at Point Clare.
The Policy Advisory Committee to the State Rescue Board of NSW has endorsed the re-establishment of Terrigal as an accredited Marine Rescue NSW unit.
Marine Rescue NSW Hunter Central Coast Zone Duty Operations Manager, Inspector Steve Raymond, said the need for Terrigal to return to a unit in its own right had become evident.
“With Terrigal having favourable access to the ocean we felt it was important for boaters in the region that the unit was reinstated because of its offshore capability,” he said.
“The Terrigal base is positioned in a very important location; it has the most southern entry point to the ocean on the Central Coast and provides important offshore coverage between the Norah Head and Broken Bay units.
“With the Central Coast unit positioned on enclosed waterways, the endorsement for the re-establishment of the Terrigal unit provides boaters in the area with reassurance that in the event they need assistance, Marine Rescue NSW has multiple units and assets that can respond.
“The Terrigal unit has 40 locally based volunteer members and a 10m Naiad rescue vessel with offshore capability up to 30 nautical miles ensuring swift deployment for rescue missions.”
Raymond said original Marine Rescue Terrigal members, Unit Commander Shaun Smith, Deputy Unit Commander Darren Wright and Training Officer Adrian Nicholas had been instrumental in working with Marine Rescue NSW to see the rescue unit again become accredited.
“Shaun, Darren and Adrian supported the amalgamation with the Central Coast unit but with demand increasing for Terrigal to have its own rescue capability they have spent the past 18 months working to re-establish the unit,” he said.
“Their professionalism, dedication and commitment to support neighbouring Marine Rescue NSW units and boaters in the region has been exceptional.
“The base membership at Terrigal has also been very helpful, along with the Central Coast unit.
“Central Coast Unit Commander Ian Morrow and members have been extremely supportive of the reformation of the Terrigal unit and without their assistance none of this would have been possible.
“Marine Rescue NSW is grateful for the endorsement given by the Policy Advisory Committee to the State Rescue Board that Marine Rescue Terrigal returns to being an accredited rescue unit.”
Marine Rescue NSW is a volunteer based not-for-profit professional organisation dedicated to keeping boaters safe on the water and supporting local communities.