Port Fairy Marine Rescue Service puts call-out for help

President Russell Lemke said like other south-west emergency services and volunteer-run organisations, it too was struggling to recruit.

"All the volunteer services are looking for volunteers," Mr Lemke said.

"We're just one of them - SES, CFA the whole lot - we're all facing the same difficulty getting people to commit to volunteering."

Its numbers have dropped significantly over the years. Mr Lemke said in 2007 when the service began it had 28 active crew members, including five qualified coxswains and two members with almost 30 years' sea experience.

Its numbers have since "dwindled down" with an active crew of about 10 people and its only coxswain is a man aged in his late 70s. More members are needed and there are administrative roles also available.

"Our average age for our present members is well up there," Mr Lemke said.

"We've probably got five or six of us aged in our late 70s and we've all got various health issues. We're wearing out.

"We're suffering, as all of the emergency services are. The people we have are getting older. We've really crashed."

Mr Lemke is appealing for younger members to join and said all training was provided.

He said people with boating experience would be ideal but they would need additional qualifications such as search and rescue techniques, towing operations and working with other emergency services.

Mr Lemke said new recruits needed to be comfortable going out to sea, especially in challenging conditions including at night.

"We've got a magic $1.25 million boat sitting there that was given to us by the government because we need that sort of a vessel to service the area, so our capability equals our risk assessment. The problem is we can't get people to drive it," he said.

"We could turn around tomorrow and say to Emergency Management Victoria 'I'm sorry we've had enough, we're out' and there would be no service. Then if someone was out there needing us and came to grief, you've got to think about that and wear that.

"If you stop doing what you're doing it could mean someone's life. That shouldn't play on you to think that way but you do.

"If you're not going to do this job then somebody may well die because of it, and for a volunteer that's hard."

For more information email portfairymrs@gmail.com or call 0429 201 153.

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