Coffs Harbour hosts simulated offshore aviation crash search and rescue exercise Coffs Coast Coffs Coast - popup ad Nambucca Valley by News Of The Area - Modern Media - August 2, 2024 Coffs Harbour Marine Rescue volunteers Andrew Kelly and Charles Johnston prepare to respond. ALMOST 60 NSW Marine Rescue Marine Rescue volunteers took part in a simulated on-water search and rescue exercise in Coffs Harbour last Saturday. This multi-agency on-water training exercise involved NSW Water Police, PolAir and NSW Air Ambulance. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au Locals out and about on the day may have caught sight of helicopters as they joined in with the exercise. Starting off from the Coffs Harbour International Marina, seven Marine Rescue vessels from Woolgoolga, Coffs Harbour Nambucca, Trial Bay and Port Macquarie took to the open water to respond to the simulated crisis. “Multi-agency exercises are really important because it gives us the opportunity to work with other agencies so that when we have a real-life situation everyone knows exactly what their role is,” said Darren Hulm, Zone Commander North, Marine Rescue NSW. The exercise scenario involved the crash of a helicopter in the waters off Coffs Harbour with four people on board. When the aircraft hadn’t arrived back, police began conducting investigations. Flight data indicated the helicopter had likely gone down in the vicinity of Split Solitary Islands. The task for the crews was to plan and execute an immediate search of the area to locate and rescue survivors. The initial search area spanned from just north of Coffs Harbour to south of Sawtell, with crews using drift calculations to search a final area of 40 square nautical miles. Zone Commander Hulm said crews took about 45 minutes to locate the first target in the water, with all five manikins and debris located within two and a half hours. While the on-water exercise was taking place, 25 Marine Rescue NSW volunteer radio operators from the region took part in a simulated desktop search and rescue exercise. Unit Commander Jane Leach said Marine Rescue Coffs Harbour responded to 80 incidents in 2023, some potentially life-threatening. 144 people were returned safely. Last year alone, in the Mid North Coast region, Marine Rescue volunteers conducted 397 search and rescue operations. This included 213 emergency responses, with an overall 907 people safely returned to shore. “These practical exercises are an important way for us to hone our skills on ‘real-life’ situations and also to trial new techniques,” she said. “It also gives us the opportunity to work closely with other emergency agencies. “Today’s exercise was a great success and will help us continue our critical work to keep local boats safe on the water.” By Leigh WATSON Marine Rescue Coffs Harbour Unit Commander Jane Leach and Northern NSW Zone Commander Darren Hulm. Marine Rescue volunteers in action. Marine Rescue volunteers Ken Bryant and Rob Kasmarik. A Marine Rescue vessel heads to the search zone. Marine Rescue radio operations volunteer Michael Walker.
