Call out for extra ears to help save lives
Not many people can say their voluntary job involves saving lives from the comfort of their home.
But two people in South Taranaki can, and they’re looking for a third person to join their crew.
Chrissy Windel and Les Stevens are voluntary radio operators for South Taranaki Coastguard and have been for several years.
‘‘We can make or break survival because this time of year, from now on, the water gets cold and every minute is a minute that you become more hyperthermic,’’ Windel said.
‘‘Without us there, situations could be very different.’’
They monitor the boats and crews that go out to sea from Opunake to Waverley, and make sure they come back safely.
They’re there to call for help when fishermen end up with flat boat batteries, or when someone yells ’mayday’ down the radio chanel 63.
Stevens said many of the crews that got into trouble either hadn’t got in contact to say they were heading out or knew nothing about the water.
Which is unlike both he and Windel, who know their fair share.
Windel grew up fishing, and ‘‘naturally gravitated’’ back towards the sea when she came back to Patea to live.
Stevens captained container ships for decades and said he wanted to give back a little bit to what it gave to him.
‘‘Without us there, situations could be very different.’’ Chrissy Windel, radio operator
The pair currently work week about - seven days on, seven off.
‘‘It’s damn hard work,’’ Stevens said.
‘‘You can be going from six o’clock in the morning to nine o’clock at night without being able to leave the house.’’
‘‘Some days you sit down at the table and just start your lunch and there’s 13 boats arriving back home, all on lunch time.’’
‘‘And it’s like ‘hold on a minute, I’ve just got a mouth full of sandwich’,’’ Windel laughed.
Stevens is 73 , and Windel has a disability. Both were passionate about the job, which made them feel useful.
They hoped that if a third person joined the roster, each operator could do four days on, eight days off.
‘‘It’s so rewarding,’’ Windel said.
Training would be provided by Coastguard.
If you’re interested, contact Gary Darnell on 027 531 5565