16 February 2026
Rockingham community Makes the Right Call at Emergency Services and First Responders Open Day
The Rockingham community came together in big numbers for this year’s Emergency Services and First Responders Open Day, hosted by Marine Rescue Rockingham in the City of Rockingham.
Royal Life Saving WA joined local emergency services, Marine Rescue volunteers and the Rockingham community for a family-friendly day focused on aquatic safety and awareness. Now in its second year, the day’s strong turnout reflects the community’s passion for aquatic recreation and a shared commitment to staying safe.
Health Promotion Officers Georgia and Aariane spent the day chatting with families, boaters and volunteers, sharing practical water safety advice that people can use every day.
The Make the Right Call program focuses on everyday activities like boating, fishing and swimming, encouraging people to plan ahead and check conditions before they go. By demonstrating safety equipment and answering common questions, Georgia and Aariane helped the community feel more informed, confident and ready for their next day out on the water.
The team also promoted the Old4New lifejacket trade-in program, which gives boaters and fishers the chance to swap old, bulky or damaged lifejackets for modern designs at a discounted price through participating WA retailers. Lifejackets remain one of the simplest and most effective drowning prevention measures. Not wearing a lifejacket was identified as a significant factor in almost 1 in 10 drowning that occurred in WA during 2023/24.
The Emergency Services and First Responders Open Day was an opportunity to shine a light on the more than 1,400 volunteers across 38 marine rescue groups that keep WA’s coastline safe. Many of these volunteers balance their rescue roles alongside full-time work, motivated by a strong commitment to keeping their community safe on the water.
“Being part of this event was incredibly rewarding. It was inspiring to see so many people give their time to help others, especially knowing many of the volunteers work full-time jobs,” shared Georgia Williams, Health Promotion Officer.
“Their focus on prevention and the importance of making the right call while enjoying our beautiful coast truly resonated.”
Royal Life Saving WA is proud to support and recognise the volunteers and aquatic staff who do such important work in emergency response and water safety. Open days like this also encourage community members to consider volunteering, particularly those who enjoy boating and want to give back to their communities.
We thank Marine Rescue Rockingham, Commander Samantha Gibling and all participating emergency services for hosting a successful event and welcoming our team.
The Make the Right Call program is proudly supported by the Department of Health WA.
Learn more about what it means to Make the Right Call around the water:
