COASTGUARD PREPARES FOR BUSY LABOUR WEEKEND WHILE VOLUNTEERS HONOURED AT NATIONAL AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

As Labour Weekend marks the beginning of the busy boating season, Coastguard Volunteers have been recognised at the Coastguard New Zealand Awards of Excellence for outstanding contributions to their communities. The annual awards honour the brave individuals and their units who provide a crucial life-saving service to kiwis using New Zealand waterways. It is also a timely reminder to encourage boaties to get prepared and check their boats before heading out on our seas, lakes and rivers this weekend.

“Last year, Labour Weekend saw Coastguard volunteers bring over 200 people home safely and respond to approximately 80 incidents over the three days. Over fifty percent of these call outs were for mechanical or electrical failures. We recommend skippers get boat engines serviced at least once a year and check batteries, fuel lines, oil, propellers, water pumps and other hardware frequently. Most of these situations could easily have been averted by preparation” said Coastguard New Zealand CEO, Patrick Holmes.

“We are in the middle of Safer Boating Week – a national initiative involving multiple water safety agencies all working together to raise awareness of safety messages, we encourage boaties to know the rules, check their gear and be prepared. This year alone, over 2,200 Coastguard volunteers will give more than 300,000 hours of their time and bring more than 6,800 people home safely. As a charity, we simply couldn’t achieve these outcomes without our volunteers and their continued dedication to saving lives on the water – but we need boaties to play their part and take responsibility for their own safety too.” said Holmes.

Volunteers and Coastguard units were honoured at the Coastguard National Awards of Excellence, with eight awards presented for their outstanding efforts, loyal service and dedication. The Coastguard New Zealand Awards of Excellence Winners are:

Hutchwilco Coastguard Volunteer of the Year – Murray Miskelly – Northland Air Patrol
Murray Miskelly’s dedication to Coastguard is evident in everything he does. His roles as Pilot and President have seen him dedicate over 180 volunteer hours this year. His commitment to Coastguard is outstanding and his vast experience has seen him lead the way in linking air patrols - to compliment Coastguard’s Rescue Vessel fleet. He is a leader who is respected by his peers and his ability to pass on his vast knowledge to others holds him in high regard. He is a passionate volunteer who has the ability to persuade and motivate others for the betterment of Coastguard. Murray Miskelly from Coastguard Northland Air Patrol is the winner of the supreme Hutchwilco Coastguard Volunteer of the Year.

Mitre 10 Coastguard Rescue of the Year – Coastguard Canterbury
Sunday 24th May was a smooth day on Lyttelton harbour and a group of seven people headed out in their wooden run-about for a picnic. However, at 3.30pm that afternoon there was a dramatic weather shift, and a strong, southerly weather bomb swept down the harbour. The temperature plummeted and rain and sleet followed. In a matter of minutes, the harbour was transformed from glassy and tranquil into a frenzy of rough water. Coastguard Canterbury was deployed in 21 knots - conditions were rough and visibility was poor. The crew located the runabout on the beach at Little Port Cooper. Two crew waded ashore and snow had started to fall on the beach. They located three adults, three small children and a one year old baby sheltering from the weather – the group had made a shelter and fire to keep warm. Coastguard volunteers carried the terrified children out to the rescue vessel and two adults followed. The third adult was shivering violently and unable to speak clearly and was helped aboard. The children were terrified asking the crew “Is this boat going to sink?” and “Is my Daddy going to drown? Canterbury Rescue made its way back through terrible conditions with all persons safely on board while towing the runabout. On arrival back at Naval Point the survivors were taken ashore to a very worried gathering of family and friends. After the ordeal the crew had an opportunity to speak to the group and learned they had intended to spend the day at the bay, but the tide went out and left their boat aground. While waiting for the incoming tide the weather bomb hit. The group attempted to depart the bay, but were almost swamped.
They tied the four small children together through their lifejackets fearing the boat would be swamped - and the children washed overboard. The Skipper decided to return to the shore after getting a scratchy phone call out to a friend who then alerted Coastguard. This ordeal could easily have ended with tragic circumstances, but thanks to the heroic efforts of Coastguard Canterbury, seven people were bought home safely that day.

Century Yuasa Coastguard Rescue Vessel Volunteer of the Year – Lynn Stuart – Wanaka Lakes
Lynn Stuart is Wanaka Lakes Principle Skipper, a Unit Instructor, Safety Officer and Board Member, his personal contribution to the unit exceeds 175 hours this year. His many hours of service exemplify his dedication and professionalism and he has been instrumental in the development of the Unit’s SSM and MOSS manual. Lynn has developed an outstanding relationship with every member and is the “go to” person for the unit. He is the first to volunteer for any activity and without his driving support the unit would not have achieved its goals for the year. Lynn is the outstanding recipient of Century Yuasa Coastguard Rescue Vessel Volunteer of the Year award.

Altex Coatings Ltd Coastguard Unit of the Year – Coastguard Howick
Coastguard Howick prides itself on staying true to its ‘family’ values and attribute this to the success of their unit. During the last year Coastguard Howick has dedicated a total community commitment of 8813 hours including 32 rostered crew. Howick are very prominent in their community, and work closely with local community groups. They participate in the annual Rotary regatta, fishing competition and work with local schools to raise awareness of Mayday (Coastguard annual fundraising campaign) and are highly respected in the community.

Coastguard Community Relations Activity of the Year - Auckland Coastguard Incorporated - Community Open Day
Auckland Coastguard Incorporated held its first Community Open Day in May this year and anticipated approx. 200 people to attend - and were delighted when the day attracted over 600. They promoted a range of activities from vessel tours, RHIB rides and demonstrations. Activities were presented in a fun and exciting way that showcased all aspects of Coastguard work. The Open Day was free so families could attend without any financial expectation and was a great success raising over $2000.

Coastguard Unit Support Volunteer of the Year – Shane Beech – Coastguard Maketu
Shane gives countless hours to Coastguard Maketu in his roles as President, Media Officer and Senior Operational Crew. He was instrumental in the founding of Coastguard Maketu in 2008, after incorporating the Volunteer Sea Rescue Service to form the Coastguard Maketu Unit. In 2013 Shane was instrumental in the building of Maketu’s Rescue Vessel ‘Eastpack Rescue’ and its berthing facility. As well as his Coastguard duties he is also the Volunteer Fire Chief, sits on the Maketu Community Board and runs a campground while balancing family commitments. The Maketu community has great respect for his continued contributions and consider him to be the glue that holds the community’s emergency services together.

Coastguard Communication and Incident Management Volunteer of Year – Jill Stewart – Coastguard Northern Region Communications
Jill has been a Coastguard volunteer for over five years and over that time has clocked up 1000 volunteer hours – averaging around 200 hours per year. Jill is a Senior Radio Operator in the CNR Comms Unit and is highly regarded amongst her peers. She leads by example and for the past three years has been on the Communications Committee serving as the Recruitment and Retention Officer. Jill willingly gives her time to any task that needs completion whether it’s selling raffle tickets, covering a shift or buddying a newbie. She is a true professional, always on time and reliable – Jill sets the bar for the rest of us to aspire to.

Coastguard Air Patrol Volunteer of the Year – Murray Miskelly – Coastguard Northland Air Patrol
Murray has participated in almost every operational callout the Unit has received and is at every training session and fundraising event. He continually strives to both motivate all unit members, and connect other community organisations to get the best results for Coastguard. Murray is a qualified flying instructor and spends considerable time with non-pilot members, teaching them the basics of operations in the aircraft so all crew are familiar with cockpit processes. Murray encourages members to have a great involvement, and maintains extremely high professional standards.

“Our volunteers are ordinary people doing extraordinary things and we urge boaties to remember these basic safety messages this Labour Weekend” said Holmes.

1. Ensure that there is a life jacket for every person on board that is the correct size and fit.
2. Check you’ve got your Coastguard Membership sorted – it really is any Boatie’s Best Mate and gives you great peace of mind.
3. Before you hit the water, always tell someone trustworthy (and preferably Coastguard) where you are going and what your intentions are. If something should happen, it will make the search and rescue efforts more efficient - meaning help will reach you faster.
4. Check the marine weather forecast before you launch. Coastguard’s NowCasting service offers free reliable and up-to-date information.
5. Avoid alcohol – safe boating and alcohol do not mix. Things can change quickly on the water and you need to stay alert and aware.
6. Carry two water proof means of communication, a VHF radio as the primary means is essential and don't forget a backup such as your mobile phone in a water proof case.
All vessels should have a VHF radio as the primary means of communication. Make sure you always carry a charged up cell phone as a backup option and keep it safe in a water proof bag.
7. As the skipper, you are responsible for your vessel and all of the people on board at all times. Make sure all passengers have been given a safety briefing and know what to do in an emergency should anything happen to the skipper.

ENDS

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