Strong winds and rough surf conditions for most of March made bar crossings hazardous, says the Noosa Coast Guard crew.
Most of the assists during the month involved jet skis that ran foul with the conditions on the bar or failed to ensure they had enough fuel prior to leaving the river.
With the windy conditions, they received requests to assist party boats and house boats that had either run aground or their anchors had slipped.
While the number of assists overall were less than usual, crews took the opportunity to improve their on-water boat skills.
Their report for March stated the recent decline in boat traffic was noticeable.
“From the QF5 perspective, the relative quiet allowed us to undertake 32 training courses covering a variety of subjects including first aid and advanced resuscitation, radio base station operations and coxswain assessments,“ the report stated.
In an era where the safety and protection of people in marine environments are paramount, the Marine Rescue Queensland Bill is set to enhance the operational framework and foster a wave of positive change for volunteers, stakeholders and the wider community.
It will formally recognise marine rescue volunteers as essential to the disaster and emergency services workforce, aligning it with other responders in tackling marine emergencies more effectively.
As the implementation of the Marine Rescue Queensland Bill draws nearer to being passed by Parliament, the briefings and administrative workloads are increasing in preparation for the proposed transition early in 2025.
“Some information has been provided, but this has to date been general in nature and lacking specifics,“ Flotilla Commander Lindsay Hall said in their report.
“We are acutely aware that we have not been able to provide any further information to our loyal team of sponsor on the impact of the new legislation, but we hope this situation will change once the legislation is enacted.
“We are grateful to our small team of sponsors for their support of our service to the community and thank you for your ongoing support.“
