Marine Rescue Volunteers in Albany have received a significant boost to their ability to manage and coordinate emergency responses off the coast with the installation of new radio equipment.
A $70,000 VHF radio repeater installed on Eclipse Island off Albany allows vessels responding to incidents to communicate better with other emergency service crews on land and sea.
The repeater can also be used by recreational and commercial vessels travelling within a 60‑kilometre radius of Eclipse Island.
The equipment has been installed as part of a number of recommendations made in a 2017 coronial inquest following the deaths of two fishermen at Salmon Holes in 2015.
It was one of five recommendations made including making life jackets and personal positioning beacons a requirement in an effort to prevent further tragedies from occurring when fishing from rocks on the Western Australian coast.
As stated by Emergency Services Minister Francis Logan:
“The Albany coast is beautiful, but as many locals know it can be very treacherous and sadly there have been lives lost over the years as people lose their footing while rock fishing or are caught off guard by unpredictable waves.
“The volunteer marine rescue crews do a fantastic job responding to the emergencies off the coast, but they had been hampered by poor radio communication in some parts of the area particularly off Salmon Holes and The Gap.
“The installation of this new radio equipment will help with consistent communication between the Marine Rescue base and vessels within 60 kilometres of Eclipse Island.
“Volunteer Marine Rescue WA, WA Police and Surf Life Saving WA do an outstanding job responding to incidents at sea, and this new radio equipment will make a significant difference in the great work they do.”
