3 minute read
Commissioner’s report
Commissioner
Stacey Tannos ESM
From the Commissioner
New strategic plan sets fresh sails for the journey ahead.
If there’s one lesson the past year has taught us, it’s the importance of having a good plan in place to deal with the uncertainties that lie ahead.
With this in mind, our leadership team and the Marine Rescue NSW Board have worked tirelessly over the past year to chart a fresh course to secure our future.
In recent months I’ve had the pleasure of working with the Board, our volunteers and staff on developing our future strategic direction. The Marine Rescue Strategic Plan 2022-2025 will enable us to build on our past achievements so we can best support our members and realise our vision for creating a world-class volunteer rescue service dedicated to preventing injury and death on our waterways.
Underpinning the plan are our values of respect, professionalism, continuous improvement and pride in our service, its people and its achievements. The plan acknowledges the vital importance of our volunteers and places a strong emphasis on improving our governance, processes and procedures and how we interact with our membership to shape a safer environment in, on and around the water for all. I hope to be able to share our new plan in the coming months. To help us achieve our goals, a number of staff structural changes will occur. These include the creation of three operational zones to ensure better coordination and support to our units; bringing together new teams at head office; and the development of skills in the key areas including increased member and supporter engagement, ensuring workplace health safety and wellbeing and continuing to modernise our property, facilities and stores.
Our future success depends upon a strong, cohesive and unified organisation that operates as “One Marine Rescue”. Together as one crew we are stronger and better able to build a modern, responsive, professional and effective emergency service.
As the past few years have clearly shown, challenges can arise without warning. This plan gives us the fresh sails we need to confidently navigate we will do so. While much of the state remains in lockdown, some regions have seen a recent easing of restrictions, creating a patchwork of differing rules as to what boaters, and our members, can and cannot do out on the water.
What is certain is that once vaccination rates allow further easing of restrictions, the summer boating season will see a sharp increase in the number of boaters on our waterways and of those in need of our help. Recently, I met with our maritime safety partners to commence planning for this expected surge in boaters and I urge all members to also take the opportunity to ready themselves for the busy summer ahead.
I also caught up with our Unit Commanders online, together with Deputy Commissioner Alex Barrell and CFO Todd Andrews, going through a range of key issues including Covid, our work to secure leases on Crown Lands and training. The meeting showed that even when
The Commissioner watches the online Rotary Emergency Services Community Awards.
the waters that lie ahead of us and continue to provide our vital services for the NSW community.
Cold, wet and windy winter weather and Covid restrictions have seen very quiet operating conditions for our crews over recent months. It is a mark of the professionalism of our members that despite the restrictions and adverse weather, their commitment to serving their local communities has not wavered, with radio bases remaining fully staffed, crew rosters filled and members ready to swing into action.
I want to sincerely thank all of our members for their cooperation and understanding during these difficult times and to assure you that as soon as we are able to safely further relax our current operating restrictions, we are physically apart, we can still come together to discuss issues and effect positive changes. I particularly want to thank all of our unit leaders for providing outstanding leadership to their teams through these challenging times.
Congratulations to MR Port Jackson member Alex Fenwick, who was awarded the MRNSW Officer of the Year in a Voluntary Capacity at this year’s Rotary Emergency Services Community Awards. Thank you to all our finalists, whose professionalism and dedication is an inspiration.
To all our members, stay safe, and all the best for the coming start to the boating season.
Stacey Tannos ESM
Commissioner
