ON THE RADAR Technology
Online winners thrilled with new VHF radios Help Us Help You campaign urges boaters to make every journey safer.
T
he Marine Rescue NSW Help Us Help You campaign, launched in early March, ended up encouraging boaters to stay safer in more ways than one. The safety campaign urged boaters to make every journey safer by switching to VHF radio. It included a giveaway of 36 VHF radios, a prize pool valued at more than $20,000. The campaign ran until the traditional end of the boating season at Easter - but like the season itself, was hit front-on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign was subsequently refocused to synchronise with Marine Rescue’s coronavirus safety messaging, “Stay Safe. Stay Home.” It then became a useful vehicle to remind boaters of the value of social isolation, changing to taglines of “Winners stay home” and “Everyone wins when everyone is safe”. The campaign reached 79,000 people through the MRNSW Facebook page, with the radio giveaway attracting more than 3,000 entries. The 36 winners - one from each MRNSW region each week for six weeks - received a Raymarine VHF marine radio valued from $450. MRNSW campaign coordinator Anya Slowenko said the campaign had achieved the aim of helping the
winners switch to safer boating. “Of the 36 winners, 16 had no radio on their boat at all, another 12 had a 27MHz set and eight had an older VHF. Eleven of our winners were women,” she said. “Every one of the winners was thrilled with their prize and happy to receive good news, especially at the start of our social isolation.” Highlighting the superior range and reception provided by VHF radio, the online safety campaign was the latest step in the organisation’s ongoing efforts to encourage boaters to make the switch to VHF for greater safety. “We capitalised on our boating safety expertise and harnessed the power of advocacy of our own personnel, people we have rescued and members of the boating public,” Ms Slowenko said. Hunter/Central Coast winner Callan M said: “Thank you so much for the great news! I still can’t believe it.” Illawarra winner Cathy B was equally pleased. “Thank you to Raymarine & Barrenjoey Marine Electrics for sponsoring this great giveaway that could potentially save lives, and Marine Rescue for all the fabulous work that you do.” Everyone who entered the
Northern Rivers Regional Operations Manager John Murray presents a VHF radio to week one winner Laura G, with MR Cape Byron Unit Commander Terry Sandon.
giveaway but did not win received a 20 per cent discount when they bought their own Raymarine radio through long-time MRNSW supplier Barrenjoey Marine Electrics.
In recognition that people may not have been in a position to buy a new radio during the pandemic, the offer will be extended again closer to the summer boating season.
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Pandemic prize ... Jenny B was one of the 36 winners in the Help Us Help You VHF campaign and made sure she was COVID-safe when her Raymarine radio was delivered.
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SOUNDINGS | MARINE RESCUE NSW
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