By Rose Lamberti from NiagaraThisWeek. May 16, 2025.
The Port Colborne Marine Auxiliary Rescue (POCOMAR) unit is preparing to launch into another season of search and rescue operations on Lake Erie, and its volunteers are reminding boaters to wear life-jackets and stay safe on the water.
Mike Speck, commander of the all-volunteer unit, addressed Port Colborne city council Tuesday night to highlight the dedication of the members and the risks they take to save lives.
POCOMAR is part of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary and operates out of the Sugarloaf Marina. Its volunteers respond to distress calls across Lake Erie, between the Niagara and Grand rivers, covering 240 square nautical miles and 35 nautical miles of shoreline.
During his presentation, Speck painted a picture of what a typical rescue call looks like for the team, which is on call around the clock during its service season.
“It is 2:30 a.m. The piercing tone of a pager slices through the stillness of the night. The urgency pulls you from sleep,” he described.
“A call has come from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre. The vessel is in distress somewhere on Lake Erie.”
He said volunteers often leave the comfort of their homes at a moment’s notice to respond to a call, without knowing the outcome.
“This mission could take hours, perhaps even days. They will face the cold and the unknown, driven by the hope to bring somebody back safely.”
Speck shared data from the unit’s operations over the last five years, highlighting the success of their selfless efforts.
POCOMAR volunteers have gone on 198 missions, garnered an average response time of 18.9 minutes, assisted 248 people and directly saved three lives.
“Those people were (in imminent) danger,” he said. “A couple of them were (from) overturned vessels, they were not wearing life-jackets.”
Over the same five-year span, POCOMAR volunteers completed more than 2,000 hours of training, 551 on-water exercises and more than 2,000 hours of community involvement.
The unit as trained and worked alongside 424 Tiger Squadron, which is a rescue unit based out of Trenton, Ont., as well as the Niagara Regional Police marine unit, the U.S. coast guard and other agencies in the area.
He added the team has also responded to calls beyond its coverage area.
“We have assisted the United States coast guard looking for a diver a couple of years ago in the river,” he said. “We have gone into Port Maitland, we have gone past that, out of the area.”
During the season, the unit operates two vessels: a custom-built, primary boat, named the Daniel R. Workman after the unit’s first commander, and a small “daughter” vessel named Ted Cook after a founding member.
POCOMAR is made up of volunteers who come from all experience levels. Acting Deputy Mayor Dave Elliott praised the team’s work and the time volunteers commit each year.
“It’s all volunteer. Nobody gets paid for any of this, so we really are lucky to have them looking after our waterways,” he said. “And I know all the boaters, if they were here, would say thanks to you and everybody in (POCOMAR).”
Elliott also echoed Speck’s call for safety.
“Hope for safe sailing this summer, and I hope that people hear your message: wear your life-jacket.”
“Yes,” Speck replied. “That’s the primary one.”
More information on POCOMAR’s efforts and ways to volunteer can be found on its website.
