Media Release

Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol
Released by:   Ken McManus – Marketing & PR Officer
Release date:  Saturday 26 January 2008       

Australia Day Honour for Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol Chief

Commodore Peter Phillipson, Officer Commanding of Australia’s oldest volunteer marine rescue organisation, was awarded the Emergency Services Medal in the Australia Day Honours List. 

Commodore Phillipson, in his 19^th year as a member of the Coastal Patrol, said “This is a great honour and it is one that I share with my fellow members, whose combined and constant efforts year after year, are the actions most deserving of our country’s recognition.”

“The Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol has a proud history of marine Search and Rescue in Australia. During our 70^th anniversary in 2007, it was calculated that over these years our members have saved the lives of 18,970 mariners. It is a privilege to be in command of a dedicated and effective team who continue to make a life-saving difference within an ever-growing boating community.”

Commodore Phillipson said, “The greatest challenge that faces the Coastal Patrol today is the increasing demand for volunteer marine rescue services in NSW. The Coastal Patrol now provides 25 marine rescue and radio bases along the coast from Eden to Cape Byron, together with a fleet of 46 vessels that are operated by more than 1,500 dedicated, skilled volunteer members. With the recent expansion of our main Sydney Radio base at Terrey Hills to 24x7 operation, 16 of those bases are now on duty around the clock.”

December 2007 statistics from NSW Police Marine Area Command show that volunteers now handle an average of 2 in every 3 marine rescues in NSW. Even less well known is the fact the Coastal Patrol has to raise around 90% of its total operating costs. Funds from the NSW government ($337,000 in 2006-07) still amounts to only some 10% of Coastal Patrol costs.

Commodore Phillipson said that the Coastal Patrol strongly supports the move by the state government to examine the reforms needed to achieve financial sustainability for the marine rescue volunteers who put so much time and effort into safety.

END