Coastguard Hawke’s Bay wins Unit of the Year in national awards treble

Coastguard Hawke’s Bay has hit the supreme accolade, being named Coastguard New Zealand’s Unit of the Year, after one of its biggest and most torrid years in almost four decades of saving and protecting people from the perils of the ocean.

It was part of a treble for the volunteers of the unit, which was incorporated in 1986 and from 63 coastguard units throughout New Zealand.

It was recognised as Unit of the Year, mainly for work in Cyclone Gabrielle (with five specific taskings), was named Community Engagement Unit of the Year, and with Coastguard Gisborne received Rescue of the Year award relating to a long mission searching for a missing diver off Black Reef, Mahia.

During the year it had a $250,000 refit of rescue craft the Celia Knowles, which has served the Coastguard, Search and Rescue and the region since mid-2009.

Coastguard New Zealand said the awards recognise particularly the “significant contribution” made to the cyclone rescue effort, in which floodwaters swept through such areas as the Esk Valley, Rissington and Dartmoor, Waiohiki, Pakowhai and Awatoto and resulted in the loss of eight lives in the region.

A Coastguard Hawke's Bay celebration at Christmas. Now it has something to really celebrate after winning three national awards, including being named Coastguard Unit of the Year.

Coastguard HB also provided continuous support to the police during the search for the cyclone’s sole outstanding missing person, Joseph Ahuriri, and his vehicle, and participated in a long-distance rescue effort with other agencies, and a search for a missing diver.

Coastguard NZ chief executive officer Callum Gillespie said: “Over the past 12 months, there have been numerous challenges for Coastguard Hawke’s Bay to deal with. However, led superbly by Henry van Tuel, the unit has dealt with everything thrown at them with integrity, care and with people at the core.”

The Community Engagement Unit of the Year recognised excellence in public relations, fundraising, or community engagement activity by an individual or group.

He said Coastguard HB showed its “true resilience, commitment, and community spirit” in response to the cyclone, and when it hit, during the early hours of the morning, the Unit quickly rallied to assist local Police Sar (search and rescue) in the Esk Valley.

For two days, the crew focused their efforts on rescuing people from hard-hit areas, and volunteers then turned their attention to providing support services to other Sar partners, including establishing a base that served as a rescue and co-ordination centre for the volunteer rescue partners, LandSar, Surf, and Coastguard.

With a large electricity generator, the base provided support for residents as a place to go for companionship, warm showers for volunteer searchers, access to electricity, family, and whānau. The unit also helped drive surf vehicles, locate medical equipment, obtain fuel and food supplies, and take people to evacuation centres.

Its social media expertise was also acknowledged. A Facebook page of about 3000 followers enabled a strong reach, with interaction of posts regularly reaching more than 25,000 people each month, with an average of 1500 people engaging and reacting.

In relation to the Mahia search, spread over two days on the weekend of November 26 and 27 last year, Coastguard HB refuelled the Celia Knowles and prepared it with extra supplies to join Gisborne services in an operation lasting initially more than six hours on the first day before its return to Napier.

It resumed the next day with Hawke’s Bay Surf Callout Squad, and the Police National Dive Squad involved, ultimately finding the body of the missing man.

Gillespie said the incident involved numerous individuals and assets, and presented various challenges, including the considerable distance.

Coastguard HB president Henry van Tuel said the missions were among 26 towing assists and 16 police taskings during the past financial year.