Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) Acting Director Maritime Michael Wright said the loss of body heat is one of the greatest hazards to a person in the water.
“Hypothermia is the term used to describe a body’s temperature lowering to dangerous levels after exposure to cold air or water,” Mr Wright said. Continue Reading
The difference is simply that a buoyancy vest (a waistcoat with foam on the inside) will help keep you afloat but only a life jacket will keep your head above water if you fall unconscious. This critical point of difference was highlighted in a tragedy in Scotland earlier this year when a man and three… Continue Reading
The information on this page tells an extraordinary true story of three men who survived 20 hours in the water after their vessel was swamped in bad weather. The lessons learnt section provides a reminder of the importance of having your safety equipment easily accessible and in good condition. This incident is also an example… Continue Reading
A personal flotation device (PFD) provides buoyancy to help you to float with your head above the water. There are three different Australian Standards for PFDS according to the level of protection afforded to the wearer. A brief description of each type is set out below to help you select the type which is suitable… Continue Reading
The submerged vessel with the fishermen’s makeshift lifejacket signal flag. An offshore training exercise for New South Wales Marine Rescue Shellharbour turned into a quick-response rescue operation when the crew of a sinking boat made a Mayday call on Saturday morning. The half-cabin boat with two fishermen on board had begun taking on water in… Continue Reading
In the late hours of a Sunday night three men were fishing in the waters off of Stansbury in a small, unsurveyed commercial net boat. They were anchored on a sandbar and had set a mesh net targeting shark. At about 8pm they began to retrieve the net. They were using an unapproved large net… Continue Reading
Water Police, supported by the Police Helicopter, Ambulance Helicopter, Police Rescue & Local Patrols from Rose Bay in New South Wales were successful in finding another missing rock fisherman. Fortunately a local resident heard the sound of a whistle coming from the sea who then called emergency services. The whistle was attached to the lifejacket. Continue Reading
Two serious boating accidents over two days in Port Stephens have prompted an urgent reminder by Maritime Safety Authorities of the importance of wearing lifejackets. NSW Maritime Acting Manager Boating Safety and Regional Operations Craig Whitmore reported that an 84-year-old man was pulled from the water unconscious after he had set out in his tender (small… Continue Reading
Australian manufacturer, SOS Marine has delivered 2000 life jackets to the New South Wales (NSW) State Emergency Services (SES) to be used in Flood Relief Operations. SOS Marine has worked with the NSW SES for the past two years on design and development of these purpose designed lifejackets. Continue Reading
The recipients of a National Search and Rescue Award, Bob Kent and David Dodge from Esperance, Western Australia were presented the award as part of the 34th Annual Meeting of the National Search and Rescue (SAR) Council. The Council is chaired by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA ) General Manager Emergency Response Division, and… Continue Reading
