MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Station 15 Mossel Bay has re-elected JC Roos as the station commander for a second term.

"Under his guidance, our station has grown stronger, more united, and ever-ready to serve," read a post on the NSRI Station 15 Facebook page on Tuesday, 6 May.

Speaking to Mossel Bay Advertiser about his re-election, Roos said he felt incredibly humbled and honoured to be re-elected. "It is a privilege to serve as a station commander within the NSRI," he said.

Roos he had hoped to be re-elected and had not taken it for granted that he would be. 

"My focus has always been on serving the team, supporting operational readiness and creating a positive environment. If those efforts earned the trust and support of others, I'm truly honoured," he said.

The duties of a station commander include much planning, crew training, maintenance of assets and equipment and budgeting, "similar to running a business", Roos told the Advertiser. Running a station effectively means it runs smoothly and is prepared for anything, all 365 days of the year, he said.

Roos grew up in the then Eastern Transvaal. He lived in Cape Town and moved to Mossel Bay in 2006.

He works full time in Mossel Bay in the international oil and gas industry. For the past 11 years, Roos has operated mainly in remote and/or high-risk areas.

"I think working in these areas provided me with experience that assisted me in the station commander role," he said.

He joined Station 15 as a volunteer in 2008, after calling the NSRI one evening about a drifting, flashing light he had spotted. Learning that all the crew were volunteers encouraged Roos to join Sea Rescue. 

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