Auckland Search and Rescue Exercise (Image heavy)

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xpd

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#316062 12-Sep-2024 15:43

Took part in the large SAREX this morning held to the west of the bridge.

I survived the "fire" on the ferry and swam to Watchman Island (aka "Rat Island") to await rescue. (I didn't actually swim, group of us got dropped there by police launch)

https://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/public-advisory-large-scale-training-exercise-auckland-morning?ref=&search=&cmin=&cmax=

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SaltyNZ

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#3281506 12-Sep-2024 16:26

Nice! How did you make the fire on the ferry (without accidentally setting the ferry on fire)?

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wellygary

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#3281510 12-Sep-2024 16:41

Interested that you had a Radio ,

Not that you actually had the radio, but that in the exercise it was presumed that passengers off a sinking ferry would have one (are the included in the ferry's life raft gear??)

Also did the "Ferry radio" include water proof instructions, - (modern handhelds can be tricky beasts to operate, with multiple channel options etc)

Was there an assumption that there would be a ferry employee who was trained in its use present with any passengers from a sunken boat?

alasta

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#3281517 12-Sep-2024 17:00

It looks like fun, although I would want to do an actual swim to the island to make it more realistic. I'm assuming the island is within a few hundred metres of the ferry?

Then again I would need a wetsuit at this time of year which would detract from the realism a bit...

xpd

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#3281519 12-Sep-2024 17:04

SaltyNZ:

Nice! How did you make the fire on the ferry (without accidentally setting the ferry on fire)?

Smoke machine :D

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xpd

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#3281521 12-Sep-2024 17:07

wellygary:

Interested that you had a Radio ,

Not that you actually had the radio, but that in the exercise it was presumed that passengers off a sinking ferry would have one (are the included in the ferry's life raft gear??)

Also did the "Ferry radio" include water proof instructions, - (modern handhelds can be tricky beasts to operate, with multiple channel options etc)

Was there an assumption that there would be a ferry employee who was trained in its use present with any passengers from a sunken boat?

I mainly had one because 1) I'm nosey ;) and 2) I was going to be put with another workmate who has some medical issues, so wanted fast contact to get him back to shore if anything went south with him. But all went well :)

No idea if any radios were supplied with the rafts etc used, as the story went, I leapt overboard, and swam away before awaiting anything :D

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xpd

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#3281522 12-Sep-2024 17:09

alasta:

It looks like fun, although I would want to do an actual swim to the island to make it more realistic. I'm assuming the island is within a few hundred metres of the ferry?

Then again I would need a wetsuit at this time of year which would detract from the realism a bit...

Yeah, those who were in the water all had wetsuits on and being monitored.

Tide was incoming, so currents were actually in our favor if we were to swim ;)

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johno1234

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#3281545 12-Sep-2024 19:25

Good stuff. You deserved to get a ride in one of the helicopters though!