Our mission.. the preservation of Life, Environment and Property

About us

Cockburn Volunteer Sea Search and Rescue Group (CVSSR) operate in the waters of Cockburn Sound and well beyond to provide assistance to the boating public of Perth. We offer a 24 hour radio watch for sea going vessels and a rescue service for those who get into trouble.

CVSSR relies on volunteers committed to the safety of the boating public. As such, we are always looking for the right people to join our team. We offer a service that is invaluable to the boating community, but also provides an opportunity to meet and work with other like-minded people.

We pride ourselves on our ability to respond professionally, whether at the request of the general public or on behalf of the Water Police as Western Australia's Hazard Management Authority.

Cockburn Sea Rescue is affiliated with the Department of Fire & Emergency Services (DFES) and is one of 39 sea rescue groups operating in Western Australia. Members who join us also join DFES and will be issued with a unique ID number and access to a  range of resouces.

Operational membership

We have a three month probation period for new members at which point our Committee either endorses operational membership, denies membership or suggests an extension to the probation period.

Training

Our crew need to be ready to deal with any situation that might present itself. The majority of our work is assisting vessels that require towing back to shore. However, we are also first responders to distress and medical situations and training is vital for us to complete these tasks successfully and professionally.

Cockburn Sea Rescue members work their way through a comprehensive training manual to ensure they are ready. Most training is completed during a typical weekend shift whilst on the water. We also hold training sessions on the first Tuesday evening of every month starting at 1830hrs. It is expected that members attend these practical sessions which are always fun and informative.

All members are encouraged to complete both Senior First Aid and Long Range Operators Certificate of Proficiency (LROCP) which is a requirement for operating VHF marine radios.

Courses are offered through our organisation with participation costs covered.

Rosters

We currenly use an online roster system where members select their own shifts in advance. The roster is a live document so changes are visible immediately. Our roster page also holds other important information for members such as training records and member contacts etc. 

Boat crew members are required to attend a minimum of one and a half days per month (weekends and public holidays only) crewing the vessels. Boat crew are also expected to man our radio tower for half a day per month (weekends) bringing the total to two days per month. Two active days per month ensures that crew members are exposed to range of rescue situations and that we are always operationally ready.

We have a number of members who are FIFO or work shifts. Our roster is flexible - we just ask that members commit to the equivalent of two days per month.

Radio crew operate our tower weekdays from 0730 to 1730 hrs. Outside of those hours we cover radio either from home-base stations or by using VoIP technology. Radio members typically cover either full or half-day midweek shifts and operate from either our crewroom or from our Headquarters in Henderson. We are always looking for midweek radio operators to add to our list. 

Weekend radio is generally covered by members who are also rostered on boat shifts which makes up their half day requirement.

Members are encouraged to nominate for shifts as early as possible. The rosters are typically available two months in advance. Our roster coordinator will send out reminders to members to either nominate or indicate if unavailable. If a member doesn't nominate their shifts then the coordinator will allocate them instead and notify by email. It then becomes the responsibility of the member to find a suitable replacement should they not be able to attend.

This system allows each member ample opportunity to select their own shifts and ensures that our group remains operationally ready for anything.

Additionally, it is highly recommended that members don't plan events on the evening of shift days. The nature of providing an emergency service is that we cannot guarantee crew will be home at any given time.

It's not all work!

We do get the opportunity occasionally to mix socially as a team. Our members come from a range of age brackets, backgrounds and ocean-going experience - and that diversity is what makes us such a great team!

Sounds good.....what now?

New members will get an idea if sea rescue is for them after a few shifts. Some days can be incredibly busy with crews working late into the evening and other days not a job. We will however usually head out on patrols and conduct training whenever possible.

1.  Organise a day to come down and join the crew and put it in your diary! Contact the volunteers coordinator or whoever responded to your Expression of Interest and they will add your name to the roster where there is a place available.

2.  We are located inside the compound at Cockburn Power Boats Association, 28 Jervoise Bay Cove, Coogee 6166. Contact the crew room on arrival on 94343129 and we will open the gate for you to drive in. Upon entering the gates, drive straight ahead to the large shed and park in-between it and the fence line on the unsealed bluemetal surface. Follow the building around and our radio room is upstairs on the western side of the shed.

Our day crew are on-site by 0800 until roughly 1700hrs but please be flexible with these times.

3.  Bring along with you something to eat - or money to purchase some lunch. The Woodman Point cafe is across the road but once again we can't guarantee anything so it's a good idea to bring at least something with you!

Ideally we ask prospective members to wear a white shirt but it's not essential. Non-marking, non-slip footwear is essential for boat crew. We will ask you to complete a simple online form that gives our skippers some information such as emergency contacts etc. in the event we need to contact someone on your behalf.

Any questions can be directed back to your contact person and we hope this has given you some insight into our operation and we look forward to meeting you.