Ulverstone is a town on the northern coast of TAS, at the mouth of the River Leven, on Bass Strait. Its idyllic location makes boating a popular pastime for locals and visitors alike. Tasmania has the highest per-capita rate of boat ownership in Australia but, sadly, approximately 50% of drowning deaths in Tasmania are boat-related.
Central Coast Marine Rescue & Training (also known as Ulverstone Volunteer Marine Rescue – UVMR) works in conjunction with Surf Life Saving Tasmania (SLST) to support Tasmania Police and provide coastal rescue services. Their aim is to ensure the safety of recreational vessels and their crew across an extensive area in and around the north coast of TAS. Due to its remoteness, volunteers are often the first – and sometimes only – responders able to reach the location with sufficient time to save lives or to prevent a situation becoming a tragedy. They are also ideally placed to support emergency management agencies and the community in the management of aquatic emergencies resulting from the increase in extreme weather events attributable to climate change.
At the heart of any community group are its volunteers; people from the local community who willingly give up their time to respond to emergency call-outs, often at risk to their personal safety. UMVR has 16 hardworking and dedicated volunteers who are central to keeping the waterways safe and bringing community together. These volunteers receive nationally accredited training coordinated by SLST, skills that are transferable to everyday emergencies.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as lifejackets, overalls and boots, as well as communications equipment, are essential and integral to providing emergency search, rescue and medical services and protecting volunteer members, both during weekly training sessions and rescue missions.
UVMR received a grant through FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities program for $9,383, thanks to the Bertalli Family Foundation, to purchase replacement PPE, digital handheld radios and training for its members.
Karyn Blakey from UVMR said, “Ensuring our unit has reliable safety and communications equipment and relevant training and education courses crucial for their roles will motivate our volunteers to continue to serve the local community. Provision of essential operating and safety equipment and training will increase our capacity to recruit and retain volunteer members to expand our search and rescue capabilities. A strong membership base will continue to make our waterways safer, secure the future of Ulverstone VMR and, ultimately, contribute to the wellbeing of the entire North West Coast.
“Thank you FRRR for the grant, without which we would not have been able to provide the much-needed PPE, radios and training opportunity for our members. The equipment will further enhance our capability to assist members of the boating public in distress on the NW Coast. We would like to pass on our gratitude to all involved in the provision of the grant to assist Central Coast (Ulverstone) VMR.”
Karyn Blakey, Central Coast Marine Rescue & Training.