Swansea Heads will be the training base for more than 100 Marine Rescue NSW volunteers across the Hunter/Central Coast over the weekend.
Members from eight units will take part in a major regional Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) hosted by the Lake Macquarie unit over July 29 and 30.
Marine Rescue NSW Hunter/Central Coast zone duty operations manager, Inspector Steve Raymond said the annual exercise will be coordinated by Marine Area Command and involve other agencies including the Westpac rescue helicopter.
"These exercises are held to put all our training into practice so that we're coordinated together and that we can work easily together next time we meet for a real job," he said.
The crucial training exercise will be a search-and-rescue scenario with an on-the-water component, beginning on Saturday morning.
"We're looking at (holding the exercise) offshore depending on conditions on the day," Inspector Raymond said.
"About a third of Lake Macquarie's jobs are offshore and it's an environment where Water Police and other agencies also need to practice as well," he said.
There will also be a vessel exercise involving the Central Coast, Terrigal, Tuggerah Lakes, Norah Head, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, Lemon Tree Passage and Port Stephens units.
"There's quite a few involved in that, probably 50 or more volunteers and we also have a desktop exercise running as well," he said.
