Motorola Solutions enhances rescue missions across vast New Zealand terrains

Robust and reliable communication enables successful inter-agency surf and rescue operations in challenging and remote environments.

Surf Lifesaving New Zealand Search and Rescue (SLS SAR) is increasing safety and efficiency for its inter-agency training exercises with rugged and reliable communications from public safety and enterprise security provider Motorola Solutions.

The volunteer agency depends on Motorola Solutions’ technologies to deliver rescue and emergency services throughout New Zealand every day. This includes the agency’s support for communities impacted by Severe Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023, one of the most damaging weather systems to strike New Zealand in decades.

To prepare for such events, SLS SAR conducts Search and Rescue Exercises (SAREX) involving multiple public safety and emergency service personnel to test operational efficiency and response in the most challenging and remote environments. In these dynamic conditions, reliable communication is essential to helping frontline teams to collaborate seamlessly and coordinate successful operations.

On a recent training exercise amidst towering peaks, waterfalls and narrow fiordlands reaching as high as 1,000 metres in Milford Sound, Motorola Solutions’ MOTOTRBO SLR 1000 Repeater and rugged DP4000e and MOTOTRBO R7 two-way radios provided extended and interoperable coverage for all participating agencies. As a fully deployable communications solution, it can be mobilised wherever rescue missions take place.

“By placing the repeater on a mountaintop we remained connected while performing search and rescue training exercises in the lakes 1,000 metres below,” said Max Corboy, Search and Rescue Volunteer.

“Reliability is crucial to us. We’re deploying to remote locations and we need to make sure our team has the best possible equipment supporting them to get their job done. Motorola Solutions gives us that freedom without anyone needing to worry about the communications network that’s sitting behind them,” he said.

Following the successful exercise, Motorola Solutions and NZSAR are planning further enhancements to deployable mobile communications, including the introduction of live video streaming, body-worn video cameras and software solutions. This will further enhance incident awareness and safety for field-based responders during rescue missions.

“The importance of clear, reliable and interoperable communication cannot be underestimated for frontline responders working in the most challenging circumstances,” said Daniel Leppos, Motorola Solutions’ Director of Channel Business, for Australia and New Zealand.

“Our work to expand SLS SAR’s communication capabilities during training exercises will ultimately lead to safer and more successful rescue missions when it matters most,” he said.