Volunteer Marine Rescue Services

There are 36 volunteer marine rescue service (VMRS) groups situated along Western Australia’s 13,000 kilometre coastline from Rockingham in the west to Esperance in the south to Kununurra in the north, all with one central aim to protect and saves lives at sea.

Of the total number of groups, 33 have been formally approved under the FESA Act and comprise of more than 1,200 registered volunteers.

VMRS groups work closely with WALPOL performing search and rescue missions at sea.

Marine rescue volunteers provide a range of emergency management services including:

• Assisting the Western Australia Police Service (WAPOL) to search for missing people or vessels
• Providing help to drifting vessels unable to make their own way
• Assisting in operations to remove grounded or submerged vessels

Rescue assistance includes:

• Provision of senior first aid, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation or expired air resuscitation
• Towing damaged vessels back to shore or launching ramp
• Re-supplying water or fuel to stranded vessels
• Providing advice on voyage planning, radio communications and actions to take during an emergency at sea

If you are interested in joining a volunteer marine rescue group, please contact FESA’s Volunteer Recruitment Information Line on 1800 628 141

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