Thanks to the generosity of John and Bella Perry, the Mandurah Volunteer Marine Rescue Group (MVMRG) have had the navigation electronics on their rescue vessel- Charles B - upgraded to bring it in line with the state of the art equipment recently installed on their flagship Spirit Of Mandurah.
A spokesperson for the group said that in most cases a quick response is essential when rescuing vessels.
“This equipment employs the latest in GPS and associated technology and we are indeed grateful for this donation and whilst we are partially funded by the state government, we are also required to source monies from local community groups, individuals and companies,” they said.
“Without this support we would not be able to function as we do.”
The group has four vessels in their fleet; the Duck, the Charles B, Westwide and the Spirit of Mandurah.
From July 1, 2016 to May 2017 MVMRG have been involved in 137 police-authorised search and rescue incidents.
These varied from simple recoveries of disabled craft to full, life-threatening distress calls.
The group undertook 97 training incidents over this period and this training is something that is essential for the ongoing safety of both crews and the people seeking assistance.
Since July 1 more than 6000 hours have been logged on the boats whether it be rescues, training or event control.
Many additional hours are spent at base manning the control room and working on the fleet to keep them prepared for quick responses to calls.
