A review by the NSW State Rescue Board later this year will determine if any of the region’s volunteer water rescue services will be shut down.

There are already talks between the volun-teers at Pelican and Swansea to merge, with the two bases in close proximity to each other.

Marine Rescue NSW will eventually replace all three water rescue organisation across the state, incorporating The Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol, the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association and the Volunteer Rescue Association – Marine Division.

In January the first steps towards uniting the area’s water rescue services took place, with The Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol bases at Pelican and Newcastle officially joining with Marine Rescue NSW.

Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol Pelican acting unit command Margaret Teal said the transition had been smooth.

“At the moment it’s business as usual here,” she said.

“In the end, we are both volunteer organisations, and if we merge we won’t be competing against one anther for funding.”

The Swansea base has already switched to a new uniform and has ordered new signage for its base and two rescue boats.

Marine Rescue NSW spokesperson Ken McManus said the review was likely to happen later in the year – the review will also determine which resources, if any, will be reallocated between the sites.

Swansea Volunteer Coast Guard commander Neil Grieves said it was waiting game for his base to switch over.

There had been delays with the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard national board in transferring assets over to Marine Rescue NSW.

Swansea Coast Guard has changed its radio login to Marine Rescue Swansea, but members are not yet allowed to wear the Marine Rescue NSW uniform.