Project to help hearing impaired stay safer • Thanks to the incredible women in our ranks

Thanks to the incredible women in our ranks

Female members assured there is no limit to what they can achieve.

More than a quarter of MRNSW members are women and on International Women’s Day, we thanked each of them for their service and contribution to our mission of saving lives on the water.

Our female members are visible and active at every level of our organisation, from Board Director Pat Fayers to our newest recruits just starting their MRNSW voyage.

Commissioner Stacey Tannos said the organisation was fortunate to have an incredible female workforce of both volunteers and staff.

“Women comprise 27 per cent of our volunteer membership, which is one of the highest proportions in the emergency services,” he said.

“They are equally as skilled, qualified and experienced as their male colleagues, whether they operate on the water on our rescue vessels or Rescue Water Craft, on the airwaves in our radio bases or in the many administrative, management, fundraising or other support roles essential to keep our units functioning effectively.”

Marine Rescue women are a diverse collective, across different ages and life stages, with varying roles and responsibilites.

Four inspirational, encouraging women were profiled on MRNSW social media for International Women’s Day on March 8.

MR Merimbula member Amanda Shane was already a volunteer with the local Rural Fire Service brigade when she decided she would like to try something else. One day she walked past a Marine Rescue poster and, coming from a family that enjoyed fishing, decided to join.

As mum to two-year-old Olivia, Amanda successfully manages to balance the demands of motherhood with being a volunteer, thanks to the service’s structured training that she said had made it easy for her to set and achieve her goals.

“Being a member at Marine Rescue Merimbula, I’ve always felt supported in achieving my goals. Unit Commander Sonia Teston is a great female role model and she’s provided encouragement for me to first become a Radio Operator and now currently in my training as a boat crew member.

“My message to other young mums out there is that Marine Rescue is a great way to meet other people, learn new skills and have some fun. You’ll have a great sense of achievement and most important, help to save lives on the water.”

MR Ulladulla Membership Officer Gabrielle Boermans organised an International Women’s Day morning tea for women from MR Ulladulla, Sussex Inlet and Kioloa.

In the decade since she joined the unit, Gabrielle has witnessed a pleasing change, with more and more women joining and taking on an increasing variety of roles.

“Quite a few of our current women members and more recent women applicants are participating and involved in operational roles such as crew, skipper, radio operators and administrative support at various levels,” she said. “As a woman, there’s a supportive culture and no limit to what you can achieve if you want to.”

When Caron Parfitt left the corporate world and moved to Bermagui, she looked around for some volunteering work. Having a sailing background, the local Marine Rescue unit seemed a perfect fit.

Seven years later, Caron is Unit Commander of MR Bermagui.

She said she’d always felt valued and supported at the unit for who she was as a person and the skills and experience she could offer.

“Whatever I’ve wanted to try, I have been encouraged to give it a go and have always felt supported through the process,” Caron said.

“It’s been great to see increasing numbers of women joining the service and more and more of them taking up leadership roles. My experience shows that what counts is not your gender but your ability and willingness to get things done.”

At MR Forster-Tuncurry, six of nine most recent members to join have been women - something of which Deputy Unit Commander Fran Breen is extremely proud.

“It’s been great to hear the enthusiasm of the younger women who are joining our unit and to know

Combining motherhood and volunteering ... MR Merimbula member Amanda Shane with our youngest recruit, two-year-old Olivia.

that they are part of a supportive and welcoming organisation that will help them achieve their potential.”

She said volunteering at Marine Rescue was a great way of transferring skills learned in the workplace to a worthwhile community service organisation.

“For any woman out there thinking of trying something different, I encourage them to have a go and see just what they can achieve.”