Meet With Our Expert Team

Associate Professor Ben Butson, CSC

BSc(Hons) BMBS(Hons) FACEM FRACGP FACRRM FACHSM DipRGA, Consultant Emergency and Retrieval Physician, Colonel, RAAMC (Reserve)

Dr Ben Butson is an Emergency, Pre-Hospital and Retrieval Physician based in Townsville, North Queensland. He recently retired from long standing positions as an Emergency Physician at the Townsville University Hospital and as the Director of Northern Operations for LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine. He is an experienced pre-hospital and retrieval consultant, having co-ordinated or conducted many hundreds of aeromedical retrieval missions, including primary response rescue missions. He has decades of experience in pre-hospital and retrieval work in the Australian civilian as well as the deployed military environment. He is a Colonel in the Army Reserve, having graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy and then the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1991.  He has served abroad in East Timor, Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq on multiple tours. He currently works as a Senior Medical Officer in Anaesthetics at the Mount Isa Base Hospital. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the James Cook University School of Medicine where he assists in the delivery of pre-hospital and aeromedical retrieval courses. He has worked for several years in a voluntary capacity to provide medical advice to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority as well as for State and Territory police search and rescue services. He is an avid outdoorsman with a lifetime of experience in the Australian bush and coastlines.

Kyle Hain

IAMSAR Specialist | Airborne Mission Systems Specialist | Maritime Border Control

Kyle has over 20 years of experience in special missions aviation, beginning his career with Australian Customs Coastwatch, where he conducted aerial maritime compliance operations within the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (AEEZ). 

This involved forward air support functions for maritime Defence and customs assets both in overt and covert operations. This also involved extensive work managing the Great Barrier Marine Park and the sensitive zones within ensuring illegal fishing and pollution was not occurring.

He then spent 10 years working on the AMSA Tier 1 Search and Rescue Contract, conducting search and rescue missions that included operating airborne sensors and deploying droppable stores. 

Following this, Kyle worked with Ninox Robotics, a beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone company, conducting operations for a wide range of clients across Australia. His work included large-area mapping, EO/IR missions for invasive species management, and NDVI/NDRE analysis for pre- and post-burn assessments supporting state fire authorities. 

He later conducted airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) for state authorities managing fires and floods, undertaking large-area mapping missions in Learjet and King Air aircraft with Air Affairs Australia.

Kyle joined the SAR Training Australia team in early 2025 and currently contributes to a number of domestic and international projects. Kyle also works in the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre as a Search and Rescue (SAR) Officer – Aviation, where he is part of a specialised team responsible for coordinating SAR operations across 10% of the world’s surface.

Formal Qualifications

• Diploma in Leadership and Management
• BSB51918 Diploma of Quality Auditing BSB51615
• (ISO/ICAO Standard) Remote Pilot License (RePL) Multi Rotor, 25kg, Powered Lift 25kg.

Hemi Manaena

IAMSAR Expert

Hemi Manaena is an experienced search and rescue professional with a distinguished record of service across both New Zealand and Australia. Over the past decade, he has contributed extensively to the advancement of search and rescue capability, training, and international cooperation within the Asia-Pacific region.

Mr Manaena began his career in Auckland, New Zealand, as a Duty Officer and Radio Operator with the Royal New Zealand Coastguard, where he was responsible for coordinating maritime search and rescue operations and managing national communications networks. He played a central role in modernising the organisation’s operational procedures, training programs, and technological systems, including contributions to the development of the nationwide Coastguard app and the review of advanced radio operator training standards and assessment.

In Australia, he has continued to build on that foundation through his role as a Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator and Senior Maritime Coordinator at the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Australia. His work involves the coordination of maritime and aeronautical search and rescue operations, interagency collaboration, and the integration of emerging technologies into operational practice. Through his involvement in enhancing satellite communication systems and mobile location services, he has contributed to greater responsiveness and interoperability in emergency coordination across the region. Most recently, he led the design of the On Scene Coordinator Course for SAR Training Australia, developed for delivery to international partners across the Indian Ocean.

Mr Manaena serves on the SAR Mission Coordinator Standards Committee for the International Association of Search and Rescue Coordinators (IASARC), where he contributes to defining global standards for SAR Mission Coordinator qualification and professional competency. Mr Manaena has completed both the New Zealand Police and Australian National Police Search and Rescue Manager’s Courses, reflecting his commitment to excellence and multi-jurisdictional understanding. His continued engagement with academic and professional development underscores a strong interest in the intersection of policy, technology, and operational governance in search and rescue.

Recognised for his professionalism, integrity, and collaborative approach, Mr Manaena remains deeply committed to strengthening international partnerships, improving operational capability, and supporting the ongoing evolution of global search and rescue systems.

Malcolm Bettenay

IAMSAR Expert

Malcolm has been at the forefront of search and rescue management since 1987, beginning his career with the Queensland Police Service (Water Police) before joining the Australian Maritime Safety Authority 2003. As a Search and Rescue Coordinator and later Senior Coordinator at the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, he has overseen complex operations across land, marine and aviation environments.

Driven by a deep commitment to saving lives and enhancing safety, he holds qualifications in land, marine and aviation search and rescue management and continually refines protocols to meet evolving challenges. Outside of his operational duties, Malcolm remains active in the maritime community, sharing his expertise through training programs and mentoring the next generation of rescue professionals.

Malcom is currently part of an international team delivering search and rescue training throughout the Indian Ocean Region.

Formal Qualifications

• Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Search and Rescue Management) – AMSA National SAR School 2005
• Diploma of Public Safety (Search and Rescue Coordination) – AMSA National SAR School 2004
• Cert IV in Communications Systems – AMSA National SAR School 2003
• Master <24 NC
• Marine Engine Driver Grade 2 NC

Awards

• National Police Service Medal
• Queensland Police Service Medal

Michael Zadravec

IAMSAR Specialist | Airborne Mission Systems Expert | Maritime Border Control

Michael is an experienced aviation and search and rescue professional with extensive operational expertise spanning military and civilian search and rescue, aviation operations and multinational capability development throughout the Indo-Pacific.

He has served on numerous operational deployments and possesses significant experience integrating aviation and maritime assets across a diverse range of operational environments. His deployments have included border surveillance and maritime security operations throughout Guam, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, together with extensive domestic operations around Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island. These roles have provided him with a deep understanding of complex air-maritime operations, interagency coordination and multinational engagement.

Michael has considerable operational search and rescue experience, including his involvement in the successful rescue of the yacht Thuriya south-east of Réunion Island in 2018. He has coordinated and supported numerous search and rescue missions requiring the integration of military and civilian aviation and maritime assets, demonstrating exceptional operational planning, mission management and decision-making in demanding environments.

An experienced instructor and mentor, Michael has trained and developed future Mission Aircrew aboard the King Air 350, delivering instruction in navigation, mission tactics, search and rescue operations and professional aircrew competencies. His passion for capability development and operational excellence has contributed to the preparation of highly skilled mission aircrew supporting Australia's aviation and maritime surveillance capability.

Michael currently serves as a Search and Rescue Officer within the Australian Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC Australia) while also serving as an Australian Defence Force Reservist within the Air and Space Operations Centre (HQJOC Joint Personnel Recovery Team). This unique combination of civilian and military appointments enables him to bridge Defence and national search and rescue capability, providing valuable operational insight across both domains.

In 2025, Michael also provided specialist Search and Rescue consulting and advisory services under the MilSAR brand in support of the Australian Defence Force during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025. As a member of MilSAR's specialist advisory team, he played an instrumental role throughout the execution phase of one of Australia's largest multinational military exercises, providing expert SAR advice that supported operational planning, interagency coordination and mission execution. His practical expertise and understanding of military search and rescue significantly contributed to the successful delivery of MilSAR's support to the Australian Defence Force, reinforcing the organisation's reputation as a trusted provider of specialist SAR capability and operational advisory services.

Michael combined experience across Defence, civil aviation, search and rescue operations and specialist capability development enables him to deliver practical, operationally focused solutions that strengthen search and rescue capability for Australian and international partners. 

Formal Qualifications

• Search and Rescue Officer (Aviation)
• ADF Aircrew Combat SERE C Course
• ADF Aviation Medicine – non-pilot
• ADF Weapon Employment Course – Basic and Advanced
• Certificate III – Unit Safety Coordinator WHS
• Introduction to Meteorology – BoM
• ADF Search Mission Coordinator – MILSAR 

Awards

• Australian Defence Medal
• Australian Border Protection Medal

Chris Duryea

IAMSAR Expert

Chris has long been driven by a passion for community service, evident in his diverse career trajectory spanning aviation, maritime, and search and rescue (SAR) coordination. His journey commenced with aviation studies during his final year of schooling in Launceston, Tasmania, which laid the groundwork for a successful aviation career. 

Relocating to Queensland, he pursued further qualifications, obtaining a Multi-engine Command Instrument Rating, Instructor Rating, and ultimately an Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL). Chris engaged in charter flying and instructional roles until 2003.

Parallel to his aviation pursuits, Chris embarked on a volunteer journey with the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard in Redcliffe in 1997, marking his foray into the maritime sector. Over the next decade, he accumulated skills and certifications while contributing significantly to community safety as a volunteer. His dedication led to him assuming the role of training officer for the flotilla.

In 1998, Chris seized an opportunity with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s Tiered Aviation Asset Program, serving as a Drop Master and Visual Observer until 2008. His responsibilities included overseeing aircraft operations for observation and cargo delivery.

Transitioning into law enforcement, Chris joined the Queensland Police Service in 2000, where he undertook various roles encompassing general duties, traffic enforcement, and firearms instruction. His involvement in search and rescue deepened when he completed the Diploma of Search and Rescue in 2005, subsequently assuming the position of Brisbane North Regional Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator.

Chris’s expertise and leadership were pivotal during crises such as the Grantham Flood in 2010, where he coordinated multi-agency responses. His tenure with the Brisbane Water Police further honed his SAR coordination skills, supplemented by additional maritime qualifications.

Joining the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) in 2013, Chris expanded his SAR expertise, becoming a dual-qualified Aviation and Maritime Search and Rescue Officer by 2016. His advanced qualifications culminated in his appointment as a SAR Mission Coordinator within AMSA, undertaking diverse management roles.

Chris’s desire to impart his wealth of experience led him to SAR Training Australia in 2016, where he works as a senior maritime and aviation instructor, sharing his wealth of experience with military and international SAR partners. His multifaceted background equips him with a nuanced understanding of SAR systems, positioning him as a valuable mentor and trainer within the industry. Chris’s enduring dedication to imparting knowledge underscores his role as a stalwart contributor to the SAR community.

Formal Qualifications

• AMSA – Advanced Response Centre Coordinator (SAR Mission Coordinator) – 2021
• AMSA – Incident Controller Level 2 – PUAOPE018A – 2020
• Certificate III in Transport & Distribution (Coastal Maritime Operations – Master Class 5) TDM30407 – 2012
• QPS – Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Police Search and Rescue – Management) (NATSAR) PUA60210 – 2011
• QPS – Diploma of Public Safety (Police Search and Rescue – Coordination) PUA50110 – 2005
• Royal Qld Aero Club – Associate Diploma of Applied Science (Aviation) – 1998

Awards

• Police Service Medal – ‘Grantham Flood Coordination Response 2011’
• National Emergency Medal – AMSA Response supporting ‘Bushfires 2019/2020′

Les Parducci

IAMSAR Expert | International Maritime Expert

Les Parducci is an internationally recognised maritime emergency management, maritime security and search and rescue specialist with more than 25 years of operational, strategic and leadership experience supporting governments throughout Australia, Europe and the Indo-Pacific. His career spans senior operational command, national capability development, international advisory roles and practitioner-focused training, making him one of the region's leading experts in maritime emergency management and search and rescue capability.

Prior to joining the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), Les served as Chief of Search and Rescue for the Italian Coast Guard, where he led national search and rescue operations and played a key role in shaping Italy's maritime emergency management capability. During this time, he was instrumental in developing national search and rescue frameworks, strengthening operational doctrine and coordinating complex multi-agency responses within one of Europe's busiest maritime regions. This experience provided him with a unique international perspective on maritime governance, operational coordination and strategic capability development.

As a senior Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, Les has coordinated responses to some of Australia's most complex maritime and aviation emergencies across one of the world's largest Search and Rescue Regions. His operational experience includes nationally significant incidents, mass rescue operations and high-consequence emergencies requiring strategic decision-making, multi-agency coordination and calm leadership under pressure.

Complementing his civilian expertise, Les serves as a Maritime Trade Operations Officer in the Royal Australian Navy Reserve, providing specialist advice on commercial shipping, maritime security and civil-military coordination. His work supports operational planning, multinational exercises and Defence engagement activities throughout the Indo-Pacific, strengthening collaboration between Defence, government and industry partners.

Les has extensive international experience delivering capability development and strategic advisory services for the Australian Government and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Working throughout South Asia and the Indo-Pacific, he has undertaken national capability assessments, supported the development of maritime governance and search and rescue frameworks, facilitated whole-of-government capability reviews and delivered strategic recommendations that strengthen emergency management systems and institutional resilience. His work regularly brings together coast guards, navies, defence forces, police, customs, emergency services and civilian agencies to improve interoperability and whole-of-government preparedness.

A recognised educator and exercise designer, Les has developed and delivered practitioner-focused training programs for Australian and international organisations across the fields of search and rescue, incident management, maritime security, crisis leadership and interagency coordination. He has also designed and facilitated large-scale international tabletop exercises that test national and regional emergency management arrangements, strengthen decision-making at senior leadership levels and improve coordination across multiple government agencies and international partners. His approach combines operational realism with strategic learning outcomes, ensuring exercises deliver lasting capability improvements.

Through his work with SAR Training Australia and partner organisations, Les provides specialist expertise to multidisciplinary teams delivering capability development, strategic advisory services and operational training for Australian Government agencies and international stakeholders. His rare combination of operational command experience, international leadership, strategic policy development and frontline emergency management enables him to deliver practical, policy-informed solutions that strengthen national capability while fostering enduring regional partnerships.

Widely respected for his calm leadership, collaborative approach and strategic insight, Les has built trusted relationships across governments, defence organisations, coast guards and international institutions throughout the Indo-Pacific and beyond. His ability to bridge operational experience with strategic capability development positions him as a highly regarded international maritime emergency management expert whose work continues to strengthen search and rescue, maritime safety and emergency management capability across the region.

Formal Qualifications

• Graduate Certificate Disaster and Emergency Management
• Advanced Diploma Public Safety (Search and Rescue)
• Diploma Shipping Management
• Certificate Salvage law
• Certificate IV in Training and Assessing
• Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System Level 3 Incident Controller

Awards

• Italian Government Commendation for saving lives at sea
• National Emergency Medal 
• National Medal

Languages

• Italian
• Spanish
• English

Dr. Jim Whitehead APM, PhD

Land SAR Expert

Retired Senior Sergeant Jim Whitehead had been a police officer with the Queensland Police Service for 39 years, 34 of which he has been involved in Search and Rescue (SAR).

He was the State Search and Rescue Coordinator & Training Officer for the last 17 years of his service, being responsible for managing the SAR system in Queensland. 

In his time he was involved in over 15,000 SAR incidents resulting in over 22,000 lost and missing people being located. He is experienced in both the practicalities and teaching of SAR and holds numerous qualifications and is currently completing a PhD in Search and Rescue. 

He has taught search and rescue to police in all Australian States/Territories, New Zealand, Papua-New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Seychelles.

Formal Qualifications

• PhD (Search for deceased persons)
• Master of Emergency Management
• Bachelor of Social Science (Emergency Management)
• Advanced Diploma of Police SAR Management
• Advanced Diploma Public Safety (Police SAR Management)
• Diploma of Police SAR Coordination
• Diploma of Public Safety (Police SAR Coordination)
• Diploma Public Safety (Policing)
• Cert IV Training and Assessment

Awards

• National Search and Rescue Award
• Australian Police Medal
• Meritorious Service Medal
• Police Overseas Service Medal
• National Emergency Medal
• National Police Medal

Associate Professor Simon Hendel

MBBS (Hons) FANZCA GD Jour AFRACMA GChPOM

A/Prof Simon Hendel is a specialist anaesthesiologist and trauma consultant at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, one of Australia’s leading major trauma centres. He is the deputy director of the Alfred Trauma Service and is an adjunct clinical associate professor in the department of Anaesthesiology and perioperative medicine at Monash University.

His work focuses on the resuscitation and peri-operative care of severely injured patients, trauma system governance, and multidisciplinary training. Simon’s clinical and academic interests centre on improving the performance of teams and systems that must operate effectively under conditions of uncertainty, time pressure, and high consequence. In addition to his hospital role, Simon serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Australian Army Reserve, where he contributes to military medical capability and training. His work spans the intersection of healthcare, emergency response, and public safety, including advisory roles with Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria. He also works with specialist police search and rescue teams, providing medical advice on timeframe for survivability in complex operational environments involving missing persons. A Churchill Fellow, Simon has studied international models of Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) and integrated responses between healthcare, law enforcement, and emergency services. His work explores how concepts such as distributed life-saving capability and “survival in depth” can strengthen Australia’s response to high-threat and large-scale incidents. He is also interested in translating lessons from trauma care into broader insights on leadership, decision-making, and team performance under pressure.

Dr. Paul Luckin AM

MB.BCh(Rand), DA(SA), FFA(SA), M.MED.(Anaesthesia), FANZCA Anaesthetist. CAPT RAN (Rtd)

Paul is an anaesthetist, based in Brisbane. He trained as an Ambulance Paramedic and in Ambulance Rescue in Hobart, before doing his medical undergraduate training at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, and the Baragwannath Hospital in Soweto. 

He trained in Anaesthesia at the University of Natal and King Edward VIII Hospital in Durban and was a cardiac anaesthetist in South Africa, New Zealand and Tasmania.

Paul spent eight years in the Mountain Rescue Team of the Natal Section of the Mountain Club of South Africa, working in the Drakensberg Mountains. He was a Consultant and Lecturer to Accident and Emergency Medical Services Natal; Director and Lecturer on courses in Accident and Disaster Medicine for Doctors, and alternate Director of Red Cross Air Mercy Flights.

Once back in Tasmania Paul was Director of the Tasmanian Ambulance Service Advanced Airway Management Training Programme. He was President, Royal Life Saving Society Tasmania, and Convenor, State Task Force for Prevention of Drowning in the Under 5’s.

Paul teaches the medical aspects of Search and Rescue at State Police level and is on the directing staff of the National Police Search and Rescue Managers Course. He is a medical advisor to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and Police Search and Rescue teams around the nation, providing time-frames for survival during Search and Rescue operations.
In 2005 Paul received the National Search and Rescue Award for contributions to Search and Rescue in the Australasian Region.

He is a State Councillor, former Director of Medical Services and Chairman of Training Branch, St John Ambulance Queensland. Paul has been invested as a Commander of the Order of St John (CStJ), and is a Fellow of the Royal Life Saving Society Australia.

As a Captain in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve, Paul has served in Bougainville, East Timor, in the Resuscitation and Retrieval Team for the victims of the first Bali bombing, the Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, in the first foreign medical team into Banda Aceh following the 2004 tsunami., and in Afghanistan.

In 2015 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia, AM, for significant service to the community through emergency medicine, and as an authority on survivability in search and rescue operations.

Formal Qualifiacations

• MB.BCh (Rand)
• DA (SA)
• M.MED.ANAESTHESIA (Natal)
• FFA (SA)
• FANZCA

Awards

• Order of Australia
• Australian National Search & Rescue Award

Steve Cross

IAMSAR Expert & Systems Developer

Steve has an extensive background in the Aviation Industry, Search & Rescue Coordination and Training. His aviation career encompasses key leadership roles, including Chief Pilot, Chief Flying Instructor, and General Manager. 

Steve’s experience as a qualified Search & Rescue pilot, flying numerous missions in Far North Queensland, adds a practical dimension to his role as an Instructor at SAR Training Australia.

In 2004, Steve joined the National Search and Rescue Centre, JRCC Australia, as a Senior Search and Rescue Officer (Aviation). Over his 20-year career, he adeptly coordinated numerous complex and challenging search and rescue incidents, earning a reputation for his effective and strategic approach. Concurrently, Steve served as the Senior Instructor in the National Search and Rescue School, contributing to the training and development of future search and rescue professionals.

Beyond his operational and instructional roles, Steve is a proficient programmer. He has leveraged his technical skills to develop impactful SAR applications, notably SAR Calculator Pro and SARLINK. These applications play a pivotal role in streamlining search planning and coordination, enhancing the overall efficiency of search and rescue operations.

Formal Qualifications

• Australian Commercial Pilots Licence
• Grade 1 Flight Instructor Rating
• Multi-Engine Command Instrument Rating
• Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Search and Rescue Management)
• Diploma of Public Safety (Search and Rescue Coordination)

Chris McGuire

Principal - McGuire Maritime Maritime Safety Expert

Chris McGuire is a maritime safety specialist and educator with extensive operational and industry experience across commercial shipping, port operations, and maritime risk management.

As Principal of McGuire Maritime, Chris leads the design and delivery of specialist maritime training and advisory services supporting operators, regulators, and government agencies. His work focuses on practical safety outcomes, operational decision-making, and the application of international maritime standards within real-world operating environments.

Chris has particular expertise in small vessel operations, port marine risk, safety management systems, and competency development. He is recognised for translating complex regulatory and technical concepts into clear, practical guidance for maritime personnel. Chris regularly supports capacity-building initiatives and safety improvement programs across Australia and international maritime sectors.

LTCOL Mark Sedsman (RET)

IAMSAR Expert

Mark has extensive aviation and SAR experience having spent 22 years as a helicopter pilot and qualified Military SAR Officer with the Australian Army and as a Joint Personnel Recovery/Search and Rescue Officer within the Australian Defence Operational Headquarters.

During his time with the Australian Defence Force, Mark filled the position of Senior Instructor within the School of Army Aviation. In 1993 he commanded the Blackhawk helicopter deployment to Cambodia in support of the United Nations Transitional Authority – Cambodia. His services have been recognised by the award of a Chief of the Defence Force Commendation.

In 1997, shortly after leaving the Australian Defence Force, Mark was appointed to the role of a Senior Aviation Search and Rescue specialist with the Australian National Search and Rescue Organisation, Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) Australia. While at JRCC Australia Mark was appointed as a Senior Instructor (Aviation) with the Australian National Search and Rescue School, JRCC Operations Chief and acting Manager of the Search and Rescue Operations business unit.

Mark holds an Australian Airline Transport Pilots License (Helicopter) and has military qualifications for check and training, hoist, hook, night vision goggles (NVG) and ship-borne operations. He has flown in Australia, PNG and countries within the SE Asian region.

Formal Qualifications

• Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator (SMC)
• Bachelor of Professional Studies (Management)
• Graduate Diploma (Management)
• Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Search and Rescue Management)
• Diploma of Public Safety (Search and Rescue Coordination)
• Certificate IV Training and Assessment
• Qualified JPRO – USA PRETC
• Air Transport Pilots Licence(Helicopters)

Awards

• Australian Active Service Medal – Iraq
• Iraq Medal
• Australian Service Medal-Cambodia
• Defence Force Service Medal
• Australian Defence Medal
• Chief of the Defence Force Commendation
• Returned from Active Service Badge

John Rice

IAMSAR Expert | Head of Learning Academy

John began his career in search and rescue in 1974 as a member of the Queensland Police, and later as a helicopter rescue crewman with Surf Lifesaving Australia and CareFlight Queensland, and a volunteer member of the Queensland State Emergency Service, New South Wales Rural Fire Brigade and Volunteer Marine Rescue Queensland. 

He is qualified in land, marine and aviation search and rescue management and is a Life Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Emergency Services.

John qualified as a Helicopter Rescue Crewman in 1984 undertaking flying duties with Surf Rescue Queensland in Bell Jet Ranger, Long Ranger and AS350 Squirrel aircraft. He was also a rescue crewman with CareFlight Queensland, operating in AS350 and B412 aircraft, and is qualified in helicopter winch operations, fast roping, rappelling, FLIR, air search observer leader and fixed-wing drop master/dispatcher.

In 1989 he was appointed as a foundation member of the Directing Staff, National Police Search and Rescue Managers training program and later as the Director of Studies.

John’s appointments in the Qld Police Service included Queensland Police State Search & Rescue Coordinator and Training Officer and Officer-in-Charge of Water Police. He left the Queensland Police in 2000 to pursue further challenges in the field of search and rescue.

In 2000 he took up a position with the Australian National Search and Rescue Centre (JRCC Australia) where he qualified as an Aviation SAR specialist and Senior Maritime Coordinator. During his time with the National SAR Centre, he was appointed to the position of Principal Adviser – Training & Standards and Director, National Search and Rescue School and Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator (SMC) undertaking duties as both a Maritime and Aviation SMC.John is a recipient of:

• Australian National Sea Safety Award “in recognition of his contribution to Sea Safety and the saving of lives at sea”;
• Queensland Ambulance Service, Assistant Commissioner’s Commendation for his work in the development of a Marine Ambulance Program;
• Certificate of Achievement from the Australasian Institute of Emergency Services for his “contribution and commitment in significantly improving the professional standards, coordination and cooperation between the Emergency Services and volunteer organisations”.

He is the author of “The Search & Rescue System”, the procedures and operations manual adopted as the standard doctrine by the National Police Search and Rescue Managers training program [Maritime Search and Rescue]. He has also been a consultant to Emergency Management Australia (EMA) [Disaster Rescue] and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority – JRCC Australia [National Search and Rescue Manual]. In 2008 John was appointed a Director of the Australasian Institute of Emergency Services and has served as the Institute’s National President and ACT Division President.

In 2014 Commissioner Ian Stewart, Queensland Police Service, presented John with the Dr Paul Luckin Foundation Award, in recognition of his significant contribution to the Australian National Police Search and Rescue Managers training program.

Formal Qualifications

• Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator (SMC)
• Advanced Diploma Search and Rescue Management
• Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Search & Rescue Management)
• Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Police Search & Rescue Management)
• Master <24 NC
• Marine Engine Driver Grade 3 NC
• Certificate IV Training & Assessment

Awards

• National Police Service Medal
• National Medal
• Queensland Police Service Medal
• Australian National Sea Safety Award

Peter Welch

Team Leader - International Projects | IAMSAR Expert

Peter has worked in the maritime industry for forty years, specialising in search and rescue since joining the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA) Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC Australia) in 2000.

With a background in shipping logistics, operations and maritime business, Peter received a Diploma of Public Safety (Search and Rescue Coordination) in 2004 and with a further qualification in Search and Rescue Management, he has been a SAR Mission Coordinator at JRCC Australia since 2007. Peter enjoys building a rapport with other SAR specialists and has delivered formalised training to SAR partners within Australia and across the Indo-Pacific region, including Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea.

Peter is currently heading up a team of IAMSAR experts to deliver search and rescue capacity building programs throughout the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal Regions in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This is a key international project that SAR Training Australia has been entrusted to deliver.

Formal Qualifications

• Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Search and Rescue Management) – AMSA National SAR School 2007
• Advanced Diploma of Maritime Business – Australian Maritime College 2006
• Diploma of Public Safety (Search and Rescue Coordination) – AMSA National SAR School 2004
• Cert IV in Communications Systems – AMSA National SAR School 2003
• Justice of the Peace in and for the State of NSW 2023

Awards

• Australian NatSAR Council Commendation “in recognition of extraordinary search and rescue efforts off the Sunshine Coast, QLD on 23 November 2023”.

Philip Fox

Manager | SAR Training Australia & MilSAR

Philip Fox is an Australian aviation, defence and international capability development specialist with more than two decades of experience leading complex operational, training and strategic programs across Australia and the Indo-Pacific.

Beginning his career as an Air Traffic Controller in the Australian Defence Force, Philip served for 15 years before transitioning into senior aviation management and commercial leadership roles. He remains an Australian Defence Force Reserve Air Traffic Controller and is an operational Search and Rescue (SAR) Mission Coordinator supporting Australia's Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, where he contributes to the coordination of aviation search and rescue operations across almost 11 per cent of the Earth's surface. As Manager of SAR Training Australia, Philip leads the organisation's strategic growth, international partnerships and Australian Government programs on behalf of PRMEC Pty Ltd. Under his leadership, the organisation has evolved into one of Australia's leading providers of search and rescue capability development, maritime safety consulting and international project management, delivering government-funded programs throughout the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific. These initiatives have strengthened maritime and aviation safety, enhanced regional interoperability and supported Australia's strategic foreign policy objectives through enduring capability partnerships.

Philip is the founder of MilSAR, SAR Training Australia's specialist military consulting division, established to deliver high-consequence operational planning, training and advisory services to Defence and allied partners. Through MilSAR, he led the development of the Australian Defence Force Search and Rescue Plan for Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, providing a critical component of the safety architecture supporting one of the largest and most complex multinational military exercises conducted in Australia's history. This achievement further established MilSAR as a trusted Defence industry capability partner. Recognising the importance of robust governance and sovereign capability, Philip successfully guided MilSAR through certification under the Defence Industry Security Program (DISP), strengthening the organisation's ability to support classified and security- sensitive Defence activities while reinforcing its reputation as a trusted Australian Government delivery partner.

Philip has successfully managed complex Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade programs spanning multiple nations, delivering integrated capability development encompassing search and rescue, maritime safety, operational systems implementation and institutional capacity building. His expertise extends beyond training into strategic program design, governance, stakeholder engagement, international partnerships and multidisciplinary project delivery involving defence, diplomatic, maritime safety and emergency management organisations.

Internationally, Philip serves on the Board and Advisory Council of the International Association of Search and Rescue Coordinators (IASARC) and contributes to the development of global standards for SAR Mission Coordinators and professional competency frameworks. Through these appointments, he works alongside international SAR leaders to improve operational interoperability and professional standards across the global search and rescue community.

Today, Philip continues to lead SAR Training Australia's expansion into new capability areas including maritime safety, military capability development, search and rescue systems, emergency medicine and international consulting. His vision is to position the organisation as Australia's premier provider of integrated search and rescue and maritime capability development services while contributing to a safer, more resilient and more prosperous Indo-Pacific.

Formal Qualifications

• Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator (SMC)
• Bachelor of Arts (Management)
• Diploma Air Traffic Control
• Advanced Diploma Air Force Studies
• Certificate IV Training and Assessment (TAE40122)
• Certified Lead Auditor

Awards

• Australian Defence Medal