Wish a Marine Rescue NSW volunteer a happy New Year on Sydney Harbour

by Ken McManus on 30 Dec 2014 Volunteers from Marine Rescue NSW will again join the thousands of boaters taking to Sydney Harbour for the New Year’s Eve fireworks spectacular tomorrow night.

Marine Rescue units traditionally provide operational support for the largest events on the NSW boating calendar, including the start of the Sydney to Hobart on Boxing Day, the New Year’s Eve fireworks and Australia Day festivities.

Almost 60 MRNSW volunteers on board nine vessels from the Middle Harbour, Port Jackson, Cottage Point, Broken Bay and Botany Port Hacking units will provide operational support on the Harbour from tomorrow afternoon through to the early hours of New Year’s Day.

Marine Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner Dean Storey said the volunteers would be forsaking their own celebrations to help ensure a safe and enjoyable evening for all boaters on the Harbour.

'Sydney’s fireworks will be enjoyed by a global audience as the world welcomes 2015. Make sure you include our crews in the party by wishing any Marine Rescue NSW volunteers you see on the water a happy New Year,' he said.

MRNSW crews will be working closely with NSW Roads and Maritime Services, the NSW Police Marine Area Command and the Sydney Harbour Operations Centre throughout the event.

'Our vessels will be patrolling the dedicated exclusion zones in place to keep spectator craft a safe distance from the fireworks barges and allow safe passage for boats needing to travel through the Harbour,' Deputy Commissioner Storey said.

'Our crews also will be ready to respond to emergency situations and to help any boaters in need of assistance. In addition, crews will be on hand to monitor boating traffic when the Spit Bridge opens at 2.15am on New Year’s Day.'

Deputy Commissioner Storey said MRNSW units along the coastline would be providing similar crowd control and emergency response support at local NYE celebrations.

'Our units are on full operational alert for the peak boating season. Our volunteers have responded to a number of incidents over the past week, including on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,' he said.

'I thank them all for their vigilance and willingness to leave their family and friends to help boaters in need on our waters.'

Deputy Commissioner Storey said the boating community could be assured that MRNSW resources were still available to assist with emergencies on the other major waterways during the big summer events.

He reminded boaters to always wear a lifejacket when on board and to Log On and Off with Marine Rescue NSW whenever they were heading out on the water this summer.

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