Supporting Search and Rescue through weather training

This month at the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) in Avalon, two of our experienced MetService meteorologists delivered a training course for five trainee Search and Rescue Officers (SAROs).

During any SAR operation, the RCCNZ relies on our forecast room for fast, accurate meteorological information to support the coordination of air, land, and marine rescue teams. These calls are treated with the highest priority as weather insight can directly influence the safety and success of a mission.

The SARO course is designed to build familiarity with the meteorological products that come across their desk during an event, helping them interpret the data and understand what those numbers and phrases mean for real‑world conditions on the ground (or sea, or sky) when teams are deployed. This ensures that SAR officers can interpret conditions accurately and deploy teams safely and effectively.

This is just one of the many ways MetService supports upskilling in critical weather knowledge for our partner agencies.