BEGA Valley Shire Council staff yesterday met with representatives of local emergency services to discuss the risk assessment compiled on Tathra and Merimbula wharfs.

Chaired by council’s general manager Peter Tegart, the meeting was attended by members of the Volunteer Rescue Association, State Emergency Service, Police and Tathra Surf Lifesaving Club, together with council’s group manager infrastructure, waste and water Wayne Sartori and project co-ordinator Dave Mitchell.

The assessment came after the coroner’s recommendation following the inquest into the death of Shane O’Neill and his sons Riley and Travis on November 18 last year.

Mr Tegart said the purpose of the meeting was for those who would normally be involved in such an emergency to go through the recommendations from the assessment, gain a consensus on the appropriate measures and present them to community meetings.

Conducted by Surf Lifesaving Australia, the assessment made several key recommendations.

Of those, several were endorsed by the meeting for the Tathra Wharf without much comment.

These included a review of signage around the facility, appropriate emergency action plans and special emergency signage which is consistent with national guidelines and gives an exact location.

Much discussion centred on life rings and how to make them more accessible, but also to protect them from misuse.

That concern was tied to the issue of lighting on the wharf and a method of alerting rescue operatives in the event of an emergency.

It was decided a system of lights under and above the wharf should be introduced along with an emergency type “button” which would effectively go directly to 000 who would then raise the appropriate alarms.

The life rings would form part of that so all necessary initial reaction procedures could be done easily by those raising the alarm.

Lights along the front of the wharf to indicate the edge were also considered.

Two extra ladders are to be installed at the Tathra Wharf and while grab rails on the wharf pylons were considered it was thought they might be too difficult to hold onto during a heavy sea.