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New base comes to rescue of Fremantle volunteers

Jessica NicoFremantle Gazette

WITH more than 700 rescues performed every year, Fremantle Volunteer Sea Rescue (FSR) is one of the busiest in Australia.

The organisation receives more than 30,000 marine radio calls a year and, with lives often on the line, its new Cantonment Hill signal station home has allowed it to build resources, embrace new technology and ultimately become more efficient in rescues.

FSR’s Mark Zuvela said the new home had offered the organisation’s 115 volunteers resources that were not possible at the previous Fishing Boat Harbour base.

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“FSR has gone from probably having the worst radio tower in WA to the best in Australia,” he said.

“We now have a purpose-built marine operations building with unobstructed views of the waters we cover, greater elevation for our antennas and radio equipment with 50 per cent greater VHF and 27MHz radio coverage offshore, up and down the coast and in the Swan and Canning rivers.

“The technologies we have employed at the Cantonment Hill marine operations building have made it easier for our volunteers to listen, respond and record all calls that we receive and transmit, meaning no calls are missed and increasing our reliability and 24/7 coverage and operations.

“We believe it’s not only important to keep up with new technologies but to embrace it – FSR constantly strives to be at the leading edge and we hope to lead by example.”

The organisation will be offering naming rights for two new state-of-the-art rescue boats and is looking for business sponsorship to help cover costs of lifesaving equipment and day-to-day operations.

Visit www.searescue.com.au for more information.

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