A growing collection of short, interactive sessions that introduce key concepts across volunteering, communication, teamwork, safety and organisational life. Explore the topics relevant to you before your first day, during induction, when taking on a new responsibility or as part of ongoing development.
Volunteering in emergency and community safety roles.
Coming soon
Events and community
Helping at events, festivals and community programs.
Coming soon
Workplace and team communication
Communicating well in teams and structured workplaces.
How it works
No account and no sign-in. Choose a pathway and work through it at your own pace. Most sessions take around 5 to 10 minutes and follow the same simple pattern:
1
Learn
Explore a short explanation with the key points and a practical example.
2
Do
Take part in an activity, reflection or realistic scenario.
3
Recall
Check your understanding with a few quick questions, including occasional questions from earlier sessions.
4
Take it with you
Consider how the topic relates to your own role or situation, then note anything you would like to explore further, clarify with your organisation or apply in practice.
Where this fits
1Explore a topic, role or opportunity
2 · You are hereFamiliarise Me: discover key ideas through short, interactive familiarisation snapshots
3Connect what you have explored to your own situation or organisation
4Continue with any relevant orientation, induction, instruction or supervised practice
5Build familiarity over time as your interests, role or responsibilities develop
Important limitation
Familiarise Me offers micro-familiarisation snapshots designed to introduce topics, prompt reflection and build familiarity in just a few minutes.
The snapshots are a starting point. They do not replace organisation-specific information, orientation, induction, policies, procedures, practical instruction, supervision, assessment, qualifications or authorisation.
Where an organisation has its own requirements or approved practices, always follow the information and direction it provides.
Pathway · 6 sessions
Radio communication
For people whose volunteer role may involve using or listening to a radio. These sessions introduce how a VHF radio is used, and the words, habits and call types, so the real training makes more sense.
Radio operators
Monitor the radio, take log-ons from boaters, keep accurate records, and are often the first contact when someone needs help.
Using a marine VHF radio generally requires a qualification. Your organisation or a registered course will cover this.
Radio pocket card
A one-page summary of the phonetic alphabet, procedure words, priority calls and good habits.
The snapshots are a starting point. They do not replace organisation-specific information, orientation, induction, policies, procedures, practical instruction, supervision, assessment, qualifications or authorisation.
For people whose volunteer role may involve boats or working near the water. These sessions introduce common terms and how to get yourself ready.
Vessel crew
Crew the rescue vessels for assists, searches, training and patrols, working under the direction of the skipper.
Rules vary by state and territory
Boating rules, including lifejacket requirements, are set by each state and territory marine safety agency. Look up the rules where you'll be operating.
Distress beacons
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) explains beacon types and free registration.
The snapshots are a starting point. They do not replace organisation-specific information, orientation, induction, policies, procedures, practical instruction, supervision, assessment, qualifications or authorisation.
Being a great volunteer, and looking after yourself
Emergency service teams run on trust. People need to know you'll turn up, follow instructions, keep information private and speak up about safety.
Learn: the basics
Be reliable. If you can't make a shift or training, tell the right person as early as you can.
Keep it confidential. Information about incidents, callers and people you help stays within the organisation. Don't post it or discuss it outside.
Think before you post. Check your organisation's rules before sharing photos or videos of your workplace, equipment or people.
Speak up about safety. If you see a hazard or damaged equipment, report it. Everyone is responsible for safety.
Fit for duty. If you're overtired, unwell or affected by alcohol or medication, you shouldn't be on shift. Tell someone. That's the professional choice.
Look after yourself. Some situations can be upsetting. It's normal to be affected. Talk to someone. Your organisation will explain the support available to you.
If you ever need to talk to someone urgently, Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14.
Uniforms: why they matter, and getting the right fit
Most volunteer organisations provide some kind of uniform. It's more than clothing: it tells people who you are, helps keep you safe, and represents the whole team.
Learn: why uniforms are provided
Identification. The public, other agencies and your own team can see at a glance who is part of the organisation. That builds trust, especially when someone needs help.
Safety. Many uniform items are chosen for the conditions: high-visibility colours, sun protection, warmth, grip, or protective equipment for the role.
Professionalism. A consistent, tidy appearance shows the organisation takes its work seriously, and helps people have confidence in it.
Belonging. Wearing the same uniform as your team is a visible sign that you're part of something together.
Fairness and practicality. Everyone is dressed to the same standard, and nobody has to risk their own clothes.
Learn: upholding the standard
Clean, complete and worn correctly. Follow your organisation's dress standards, including what to wear it with.
Your behaviour is visible. In uniform, people see the organisation, not just you. That includes photos and social media.
Know when to wear it. Many organisations limit wearing uniform to duty, training or approved events. Check the rules.
Look after it. Uniform items often belong to the organisation. Report damage, especially to safety items, and return items when asked or when you leave.
Learn: many shapes and forms, so always try it on
A uniform can include shirts or polos, jumpers, jackets and wet-weather gear, trousers or shorts, hats, footwear and protective equipment. Some organisations also have a formal or ceremonial uniform.
Always try items on. Sizes differ between brands and between countries, sometimes by a whole size. Protective items only protect you if they fit properly. Move in it: bend, reach, climb and sit. Try boots with the socks you'll wear, and try jackets over the layers you'd have underneath. If something doesn't fit, say so. That's about safety, not being fussy.
Workwear boots are often sized in men's or unisex sizes, and imported items may be labelled in US or European sizes. The size sheet tool below shows approximate equivalents.
Do: your uniform size sheet
Record your measurements and the sizes you usually wear. The tool converts between Australian, UK, US and European sizes and prints a sheet you can give to the person who issues uniforms.
In any structured team, from emergency services to events to workplaces, most mistakes come from messages that were unclear, half-heard or assumed. A few simple habits prevent most of them.
Learn: closed-loop communication
The person receiving an instruction confirms it, then reports back when it's done. Nobody has to wonder whether the message landed.
Instruction given. “Please check the training room is clear and report back.”
Receiver confirms. “Checking the training room is clear.”
Action completed.
Completion reported. “Training room checked and clear.”
Learn: other habits that help
Listen before responding. Let the other person finish.
Be clear and brief. Say who, what, where and what you need.
Check, don't assume. If you're not sure, ask. It's faster than fixing a mistake.
Speak up respectfully. If something seems unsafe or wrong, say so, whatever your experience level.
Take feedback well. Correction in training is how everyone improves.
Do: what's missing?
Someone reports:
“Hi, we're over near the big tent and there's a problem with one of the barriers.”
Select everything that's missing or unclear, then check.
Radio communication familiarisation 1 of 6 · about 8 minutes
Getting to know a VHF radio
Marine very high frequency (VHF) radios all look a little different, but most share the same handful of controls. Knowing what each one is for makes hands-on training much easier.
Never press the red distress button except in a real emergency. It sends a genuine distress alert that can trigger a real response. Don't press it to practise, test it or see how it works. Your trainers will show you what to do if it is ever pressed by accident.
Learn: the main controls
This is a simple, generic handheld. Radios vary by make and model, so the buttons on yours may be in different places or have different names. Your trainers will show you the radio you'll use.
Power and volume knob
Channel selector
Push-to-talk button
Squelch
High/low power
Dual watch
Red distress (DSC) button
Control
What it does
Radios have a dedicated international distress and calling channel. Your trainers will show you where it is on your radio. Pressing push-to-talk on a real radio transmits for real, so practise with your trainers, not on a live channel.
Do: match the control to its job
Recall
Take it with you
Which control were you least sure about? Note it down and ask to be shown on a real radio.
Radio communication familiarisation 2 of 6 · about 8 minutes
Sound it out: the phonetic alphabet
On a radio, letters like B, D, P and T sound almost the same. The phonetic alphabet gives each letter a word that is hard to mishear.
Learn
Tap any letter to hear it spoken (sound depends on your device).
Numbers are usually spoken one digit at a time. For example, 125 is “one two five”. Many operators say “niner” for 9 so it isn't confused with “five”. Your trainers will confirm local practice.
Do: spell it out
How you would say it on the radio:
–
Recall
Take it with you
Practise spelling your own name out loud three times this week, without looking. Can you do it without hesitating?
Radio communication familiarisation 3 of 6 · about 10 minutes
Radio language and good habits
Radio is one-way at a time. Only one person can talk on a channel, so short standard words (called procedure words, or “prowords”) keep conversations clear and quick.
Learn: common procedure words
Say
Meaning
Common mistake: “Over and out” doesn't make sense. “Over” means you expect a reply; “Out” means the conversation is finished. Use one or the other.
Learn: tips when operating a radio
Listen first. Before you speak, listen to make sure you won't talk over someone, especially an emergency.
Think, then press. Know what you're going to say before you press the button.
Press, pause, speak. Wait about a second after pressing so your first word isn't cut off.
Speak clearly at a normal pace. Don't shout. Hold the microphone a few centimetres from your mouth, slightly to the side.
Keep it short. Say what's needed, then release the button so others can reply.
Write it down. Accurate notes matter. If you missed something, say “Say again” rather than guessing.
Do: match the word to its meaning
Recall
Take it with you
Which of these habits do you think would be hardest under pressure? Note it down to ask about.
Radio communication familiarisation 4 of 6 · about 10 minutes
Priority calls: Mayday, Pan Pan and Sécurité
Some calls take priority over everything else on the radio. Recognising them, and knowing which is which, is one of the most important things a radio operator does.
Never practise these calls on a real radio. Transmitting a false distress, urgency or safety call is dangerous and can trigger a real search. This module is about recognising calls, not making them.
Learn
Highest priority · Distress
MAYDAY
Used only when a vessel or person faces grave and immediate danger and needs urgent help.
Said three times: “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”.
Urgency
PAN PAN
An urgent situation that doesn't justify a distress call, for example a medical issue on board where the vessel itself isn't in danger.
Pronounced “pahn pahn”, said three times.
Safety
SÉCURITÉ
A safety message warning others about a hazard, such as something floating in a channel or bad weather.
Pronounced “say-cure-ee-tay”, said three times.
What a Mayday message contains
State marine safety agencies (for example in Western Australia and the Northern Territory) describe a distress call in this order. Recognising it helps you write it down accurately.
MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY
THIS IS [vessel name / call sign] ×3
MAYDAY [vessel name / call sign]
MY POSITION IS ... [where]
MY VESSEL IS ... [what's wrong, help needed]
I HAVE ... [other info, including number of people on board]
Radio communication familiarisation 5 of 6 · about 10 minutes
Listen and log: taking a log-on
Boaters let a radio room know when they head out and when they're back, so someone knows to look for them if they don't return. Your job is to capture the details accurately.
Fictional calls. Every name, registration and number in these sessions is made up. None of them is a real vessel, station or phone number.
Learn: how people contact the radio room
Callers may reach the radio room by marine radio, by phone, or through an app or online log-on. It varies by organisation, and yours will show you the ways it uses.
Learn: how callers identify themselves
By vessel name
“Rescue Base, Rescue Base, this is Blue Heron, Blue Heron, over.”
By registration or call sign, spelled phonetically
“Rescue Base, this is Echo Lima Bravo four five six, over.”
By both name and registration
“Rescue Base, this is Blue Heron, registration Tango Whiskey Hotel one seven two, over.”
The station answering
“Blue Heron, this is Rescue Base, go ahead, over.”
Numbers are spoken one digit at a time.
Learn: what to find out when logging a vessel on
Commonly collected; your organisation's log form sets the exact list
Vessel name
Registration or call sign
Departure point and time
Destination or area
Persons on board (adults and children)
Fuel on board
Expected return time
Contact mobile number
Learn: what a good operator does
Prompt for anything missing. Ask for it clearly, for example “Blue Heron, please give me the number of adults and children on board, over.”
Read the key details back. Ask the caller to confirm. This is closed-loop communication, the same habit as in the Core.
Say again if it's unclear. Never guess a detail you'll need to write down.
Record corrections. When a caller corrects something, the new information replaces what came before.
Log the vessel off when it returns. A vessel that hasn't logged off may need to be followed up.
Do: listen and write it down
Press Play and listen once, without reading the script. Fill in the log, then check. Write times as four digits (for example 0830), and write a spelled registration as letters and numbers. Leave a field blank if the caller didn't give it.
Recall
Take it with you
Which detail did you find hardest to catch: names, registrations, numbers or times? Note it down. That's where practice helps most.
Radio communication familiarisation 6 of 6 · about 8 minutes
Listen and log: phone, log-offs and poor reception
The same details can arrive in different ways, and not every call is clear. Here you'll practise a phone log-on, matching a log-off to the right vessel, and dealing with a call you can't fully hear.
Fictional calls. Every name, registration and number in these sessions is made up. The mobile numbers come from the Australian Communications and Media Authority's list of numbers reserved for use in fiction, so they don't belong to real people.
Learn
Phone log-ons cover the same details as a radio log-on. Write the contact mobile number down as digits and read it back.
Log-offs tell the radio room a vessel is back. Match each one to the vessel you logged on earlier, then close it in your log.
Poor reception: if part of a call is unreadable, don't guess. Say “Say again” and name exactly what you need.
Do: listen and act
Press Play and listen once, without reading the script, then complete the task and check.
Recall
Take it with you
Which was harder: the poor reception call or the phone call? Note it down and ask how your organisation handles each.
On a vessel, instructions need to be understood instantly. “Left” and “right” change depending on which way you face, so boats use words that don't.
Learn: key terms
Term
Meaning
Memory tip: “port” and “left” both have four letters.
Do: match the term
Learn: knots and lines
Crew handle ropes (called lines once they're in use on a boat) all the time: tying up, towing and securing gear. Knots commonly taught to crew include the bowline, clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches and the cleat hitch. Your organisation will show you the ones it uses. Knots are best learned hands on, so there's nothing to memorise here yet.
Being ready before you step aboard keeps you, your crew and the people you're helping safe.
Learn: get yourself ready
Lifejackets: wear the lifejacket you're given and make sure it's fitted and fastened. Lifejacket rules are set by each state and territory, and your organisation may have stricter rules.
Sun and weather: hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and layers. It's often colder and windier on the water than on shore.
Water and food: bring water and a snack. Dehydration affects concentration.
Seasickness: if you're prone to it, get advice before your first trip, and tell the skipper if you feel unwell on board.
Footwear: enclosed, non-slip shoes. Decks get wet.
Rest: turn up rested. Fatigue causes mistakes.
Learn: distress beacons
Many vessels carry an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon). People may also carry a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon). When activated, these send a distress alert that helps searchers locate the vessel or person. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) says registering a beacon is free and, in some cases, mandatory by law. Source: AMSA – Beacon owners (opens in a new tab).
Never activate a beacon as practice. Only use a beacon's self-test function, as the manufacturer instructs. Your organisation will show you the equipment it carries.