South Australian Sea Rescue Squadron receives CYCA SOLAS Trusts grant

by Jennifer Crooks on 12 Nov 2013 CYCA SOLAS Trusts has provided South Australian Sea Rescue Squadron with $8,900 to purchase marine radios and a weather station for the Squadron Country Flotilla bases plus new brackets to house radio and radar antennas.

The grant will allow the purchase of the following equipment: 1x HF, 3x VHF, 5x UHF, and 1x 27 MHz radios and a weather station that allows boaters launching their vessels at Edithburgh to check local conditions. The new brackets will enable quick erection of the radio and radar antennas in a safe manner.

'This is the second time SA Sea Rescue Squadron has received funding from CYCA SOLAS Trusts, with the first being received nine years ago and used to purchase a training vessel. Grants such as these are of very real benefit to the efficiency of the work undertaken and it is welcomed by all our volunteers,' Commodore John Burrow said.

'The members of the Squadron were delighted that the Trusts has recognised the work being undertaken in providing safety at sea to recreational boat owners in the Gulf St Vincent and the Spencer Gulf regions, including Back stairs Passage,' Commodore Burrow added.

The SA Sea Rescue Squadron has a proud record of volunteer service to the South Australian boating public for more than 53 years and is regarded by many as the premier Volunteer Marine Rescue operation in the state.

The Squadron has been involved in over 4,000 incidents many of which have been major search and rescue operations in conjunction with other Volunteer Marine Rescue organisations and the SAPOL Water Operations Unit.

The Squadron has bases at West Beach, O’Sullivan Beach, Wirrina (near Normanville), and Edithburgh, and at the Copper Coast (Wallaroo) and provides a marine radio monitoring facility every day of the year and has crews on standby to react to any emergencies.

CYCA SOLAS Trusts Chairman Matt Allen announced the funding: 'We are very pleased to provide SA Sea Rescue Squadron with their second grant to purchase these vital pieces of equipment.

'This grant achieves one of the goals of the CYCA SOLAS Trusts - to actively contribute to key volunteer marine, search and rescue organizations Australia-wide,' Allen said.

Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia Commodore Geoff Boettcher presented the cheque, on behalf of the CYCA SOLAS Trusts, to the SA Sea Rescue Squadron Commodore John Burrow.

About CYCA SOLAS Trusts:
The CYCA Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Safety of Life at Sea Trusts (SOLAS) was set up as a charitable trust in 1999 as a result of the tragic events of the 1998 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The CYCA SOLAS Trusts objectives are to:

• Provide assistance (financial and other) to immediate families of those lost at sea during Yachting Australia sanctioned races

• Make donations and provide support to search and rescue organisations

• Foster and fund research and training to improve safety and rescue procedures and equipment used in ocean races.

Since they were established in 1998 following the loss of life in the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race that year, the Trusts have donated more than $893,000 to organisations Australia-wide and the Trusts continues to explore new organisations to support.