A donation of $50,000 to Marine Rescue has facilitated the purchase of a new 3.88 metre Zodiac Milpro inflatable rapid response emergency rescue boat and emergency equipment for the Marine Rescue Brunswick unit.
The money was donated by the James Frizelle Charitable Foundation following the 2022 February and March floods.
‘The devastating floods in the Northern Rivers in 2022 highlighted the need for local first responder volunteers to have immediate access to life saving marine equipment in order to reach and evacuate residents,’ said Trish Harris a representative of the James Frizelle Charitable Foundation.
Marine Rescue Brunswick Unit Commander Jonathan Wilcock said that ‘the rescue vessel will be a great asset for the unit’s volunteers, and will provide additional protection to the many local and visiting boaters who regularly enjoy this beautiful section of the state’s coastline.
‘With another busy summer expected on our waterways, this rescue vessel will provide the Marine Rescue Brunswick unit with additional rescue capability at the peak of the boating season just when it’s needed the most.’
Marine Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner Alex Barrell has thanked the James Frizelle Charitable Foundation for their support of the life-saving work of Marine Rescue volunteers in protecting and assisting the North Coast boating community.
‘This robust new rapid response rescue vessel will give our volunteers the ability to respond quickly to emergencies, and to access areas of shallow river water and coastal lakes inaccessible to the unit’s primary response vessel,’ Mr Barrell said.
‘With a weight of just 55 kilograms, a key feature of the rescue vessel is its ability to be quickly and easily transported to where it is needed, enabling our members to better support other agencies such as the NSW SES during flood responses.’
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