1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:04,520 Speaker 1: We know that Darwin's Volunteer Coast Guard they do a 2 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 1: wonderful job and really they're out and about. They're doing 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 1: quite a lot around the place, but with no financial assistance, 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: and they do certainly rely on their volunteers who give 5 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 1: up plenty of time to provide search and rescue responses 6 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: alongside the water Police. And joining me on the line 7 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:26,279 Speaker 1: right now is Darwin's Volunteer Coast Guard current flotilla commander 8 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 1: Simon Dorman. Good morning to you, Simon. 9 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, good morning Katie. How are you? 10 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, really good, great to have you on the show. Simon. 11 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:36,879 Speaker 1: For those out there listening who don't really know what 12 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: Darwin's Volunteer Coast Guard do, tell us a bit more 13 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:41,480 Speaker 1: about your role. 14 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 2: Well, basically, it's a national organization, say on the East case, 15 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 2: it's well funded and lots and lock volunteers. 16 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 3: Big clubhouses and so forth. 17 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 2: In the territory it's a little bit different. It's run 18 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 2: by a very small, dedicated crew of volunteers and we 19 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 2: basically run it ourselves. So we have to do our 20 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 2: funding for rents, maintaining our assets, all that sort of thing. 21 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 2: But in saying that, we are a marine search and 22 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:17,119 Speaker 2: rescue organization. So two o'clock in the morning, we'll get 23 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,680 Speaker 2: a call, can you come and assist in a toe 24 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:23,039 Speaker 2: back to go on a beach or whatever, And we're there. 25 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,839 Speaker 2: So it's that sort of service. So we're out there 26 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 2: for the general voting public. But we at this time. 27 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 3: We do need our assistance because we have had a 28 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 3: long association with one of those lovely clubhouses down overlooking 29 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 3: Fanny Bay. 30 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 2: But since then we have lost our demountable where we 31 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 2: used to house our office and do all our admin 32 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 2: So now we are basically looking for somewhere to set 33 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 2: up again. 34 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 1: All right, so you need a new sort of home, 35 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: I guess you'd say, yeah, we love and like you. 36 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 2: Know what it's like these days with commercial rents through 37 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 2: the roof. We're looking for a kind sponsor to help 38 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 2: the Coast Guard out. You know, maybe you know somewhere 39 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,239 Speaker 2: close to the water would be nice, but hey, we're 40 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 2: open to any suggestions. Yeah, because we train all our 41 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 2: volunteers up. So most people don't realize that the Volunteer 42 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 2: Coast Guard Association it's a non for profit organization, but 43 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 2: we are also are a registered training organization, so that 44 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 2: means all our volunteers who come in. They get trained 45 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 2: up to a standard of general purpose hand I think 46 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 2: it's called which is an industry recognized skill. So you 47 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 2: can take that skill and move into state or whatever, 48 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 2: which I'm not telling people to do that because a 49 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 2: lot of people do already. You know what darlino revolving 50 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 2: door yep. Yeah, But so that's that's a little bit 51 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 2: about that. 52 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, and so made at the moment, I know that 53 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: you've got you obviously, your your main rescue boach is 54 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,920 Speaker 1: the Pete Davies which was named in honor of our great, 55 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: my great mate, our great mate, Pete Davies. But you're 56 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,119 Speaker 1: also sort of you have recently refermed it to bring 57 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 1: it back to it's now former glory and hopefully able 58 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:32,640 Speaker 1: to service the Darwin community for another decade or so. 59 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 1: So we know that that Pete Davies is out there 60 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: on the water exactly as he should be. But look, 61 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: talk us through with the home that I guess you're after, 62 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: and you're after a sponsor to help out with that. 63 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: What do you need A big space? How much space 64 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: do you need? 65 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 4: Well put it this way, a couple of couple of 66 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 4: deaths with a few computers, the printer, and maybe a 67 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 4: long table so we can hold our train without having. 68 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 2: To knock on people's doors and see if we can 69 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 2: use their clubrooms or use the community room somewhere. We 70 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: just want to have something that's a little bit more permanent, 71 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 2: just so that we've got peace of mind so we 72 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 2: can go and do our job for the next ten years. 73 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, it just makes it easier to 74 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:27,600 Speaker 2: have everything set up. I don't have to take the laptop, 75 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 2: plug it into an overhead somewhere, and we just want 76 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:33,279 Speaker 2: to be able to operate like they do on the 77 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 2: East Coast. 78 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:37,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely, absolutely, which I think is fair enough. Simon 79 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: tell our listeners, like, how often is the Coast Guard 80 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 1: getting called out to help people that are in a 81 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:44,159 Speaker 1: spot of bother? 82 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,599 Speaker 2: Well, put it this way, it's been operating for over 83 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 2: sixty years on the East coast Darwin, it's been going 84 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 2: for well over fifteen years and in that time we've 85 00:04:55,480 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 2: had over five hundred callouts. We get out our callouts 86 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 2: from the water Police might be over one side of 87 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 2: town and they might say, oh, here's a job, can 88 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 2: you do that so? Or it might be yachties coming 89 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 2: into Darwin from traveling around. Obviously your breakdowns in Darwin 90 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 2: Harbor are quite numerous. And also it's just anything you 91 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 2: name it as anything, community events as well, like I 92 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:29,839 Speaker 2: know last year and the Samba party was on, Yeah 93 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 2: we got the call, we got the call out. Can 94 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 2: you help want it to that as well. So we're 95 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 2: there just for safety on the water, which. 96 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: Is wonderful, you know, and we all love being out 97 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: on the water, so it's a wonderful thing to have 98 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 1: the volunteer coast Guard, the Darwen Volunteer Coast Guard. Mate, 99 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 1: are you on the lookout for additional volunteers as well? 100 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 1: Do you always need volunteers? 101 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 2: We are always looking and we are desperate for volunteers. 102 00:05:56,240 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 2: Skippers or anybody with on water experience would be fantastic. 103 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:04,039 Speaker 2: But saying that, if you haven't got the experience and 104 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 2: you still want to volunteer, we've got to select crew 105 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,600 Speaker 2: that do during the week because a lot of us 106 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 2: still work obviously yep, but so retirees during the week, 107 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:20,040 Speaker 2: we've got a select group. And then the weekends. If 108 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,039 Speaker 2: you if you work during the weekend, you've only got 109 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:25,680 Speaker 2: weekends or one weekend a month. Sure, sign up and 110 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,040 Speaker 2: we'll get you trained up so you know what you're doing, 111 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 2: and so when you go out on the water in 112 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 2: your own boat, you'll know your central equipment to take 113 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:37,919 Speaker 2: and know what a marine radio is and how to 114 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 2: use it, man overboard procedures, you know, all the good 115 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 2: things that everyone should have before they venture out on 116 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 2: our remote coastline. 117 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: Simon, anybody out there this morning listening who can maybe 118 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 1: help out in terms of you know, sponsoring, you know, 119 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,600 Speaker 1: for somewhere for you guys to sort of have your 120 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:00,840 Speaker 1: computers and that kind of thing. Or anybody out there 121 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 1: listening who wants to become a volunteer, where's the best 122 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:05,839 Speaker 1: place for them to head for a bit more information. 123 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 4: Look, I leave the. 124 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 2: Judy Skipper number with you, Katie, so anyone can bring 125 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 2: up one O four point nine or else they can 126 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 2: just jump online and go to ww dot Coastguard dot 127 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 2: com dot AU as a general heading, and you'll just 128 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 2: go to flotilla find the location Tine Darwin and click 129 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 2: on that and then. 130 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 3: Send off an inquiry. 131 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 2: But by all means, we are here, we are ready 132 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 2: to go. We just need some assistance to find a 133 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 2: proper home. He Look, if you ever want to come 134 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 2: down and jump on. 135 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 3: Pete Davies. 136 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 2: You'd be amazed at how good it looks. Now job 137 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 2: that's got new engines, been updated. 138 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: So oh, he'd be thank you very much. He would 139 00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: be loving that. He'd love that he's had a paint 140 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: job and that he's looking so I'm very very happy 141 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: to hear that. Simon. Thank you so much for having 142 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 1: your chat with us this morning. 143 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 2: Mate. 144 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: We'll get in contact with you if anybody contacts us, 145 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: but otherwise they can indeed head to the website.