At the recent monthly meeting of the local Seniors Computer Club, EuroSCUG, Geoff Clarke, a volunteer with Marine Rescue NSW, gave a very interesting presentation on the way the Tuross Moruya Marine Rescue Unit operates.
Marine Rescue NSW has a network of 45 units, strategically located on the NSW coastline, and inland on the Alpine Lakes and the Murray River. The communications centre, located at Belrose, operates 24 hours a day and passes calls to the appropriate local unit.
The Tuross Moruya Unit has 40 volunteers, 30 of whom actively participate in rescues and undergo regular training and perform simulated rescues. The Unit operates from Broulee to Potato Point, and in the Tuross Lake System. It has two state of the art rescue vessels, including the new Tuross 21. Purpose-designed and built to meet local operating conditions at a cost of $350,000, Tuross 21 is based at Preddys Wharf Moruya, while the other vessel is based at Tuross Lake.
Also included in the fleet are two Rescue Water Craft (Jet Skis) which are mainly used in the surf.
Geoff described the technology used in the vessels, including search and safety instruments, cameras and web cam, EPIRBS, radar (including IR radar), VHF and UHF radios, (with reserved channels for security and privacy reasons), mobile phones, and an app to identify vessels currently in the area. By law, the rescue vessels must also carry a compass and paper maps of the area they cover.
Each Marine Rescue Unit must fund 50% of its operating costs and cover 25% of the cost of each new vessel, generally by selling the old vessel. Fuel costs such as the $2000 monthly fuel bill are covered by Bunnings Sausage Sizzles and other fund raising activities.
After morning tea, members broke into small groups covering the new Windows 11 operating system, beginners and a Q and A session.
The next meeting, on Wednesday 7th of September, at 9.45 for a 10 am start, at Moruya Golf Club, will be a “hands on session”. Members and visitors are asked to bring their mobile phones/tablets/laptops. Helpers will be available to discuss requests for assistance from the help desk or one on one. Planned sessions will include the ABC app Listen and Facebook on phones/tablets, and “Googling” including the use of KeePass which is used to store passwords safely on a PC. Another session will demonstrate setting up simple password protected encrypted file for storing all your passwords and private information. After morning tea, we will ask if there is anything in particular that members would like to cover and/or members can just attend one of the other planned sessions.
Visitors are always welcome to attend a meeting to see how the group operates.
For further information, visit our website, www.euroscug.org.au or phone 0491608077.
