Digital radio rollout for Victoria's Marine Search and Rescue

A new digital radio program is helping Victoria’s Marine Search and Rescue (MSAR) and the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard better communicate during coastal water rescues.

The Victorian Government recently invested more than $1.3 million to deliver 130 portable radios for MSAR volunteers and to install radios on 22 vessels and in eight vehicles. The equipment has been rolled out for all 26 MSAR units across the state, including the Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad at Blairgowrie, the Volunteer Marine Rescue at Mornington and the VF6 Coast Guard at Safety Beach.

The radios are connected to the Victorian Radio Network, giving MSAR units real-time communication with the Water Police Rescue Coordination Centre and other agencies including the Coast Guard and Surf Life Saving. The radios will support the coordination centre to monitor and locate vessels and crews when they are in the water; there are also five fixed base stations and a console at the coordination centre, with two portable consoles available for use.

“This will absolutely save lives,” said Neil Harkness of the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard. “The ability for us to communicate clearly and effectively, and across the state, is something we’ve never been able to do before.

“That means a much faster, more professional response, and the person on the end of that response is going to be extremely grateful that the technology is now being utilised by the agencies.”

“These radios have greatly improved communication with the Water Police Rescue Coordination Centre, who can now communicate directly with our rescue boats on the water,” added Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad Secretary Denis Baguley.

“They also provide a direct communication link with the Police Air Wing and other rescue units in Port Phillip Bay critical during multi-unit tasks. In summary, they greatly improve our capacity to save lives on the Southern Mornington Peninsula.”

The Emergency Management Operational Communications Trust Fund has delivered more than $760,000 to support the ongoing maintenance of the radios. MSAR is also conducting a six-month trial on the use of satellite capability when connectivity is limited, which has been running with the Portland Coast Guard Flotilla and Water Police since February.

Image credit: iStock.com/Bosco Yip