By Surf Life Saving New Zealand

IMRF Chairman Dean Lawrence has been awarded a Service Award from the national body, Surf Life Saving New Zealand for his long and continued involvement in Surf Life Saving.

Holders of the Surf Life Saving New Zealand Service Award have given outstanding service to Surf Life Saving at club, regional or national level over a period of many years.

Dean qualified as a Surf Lifeguard in 2002 and served as a lifeguard instructor from 2004-2014.  He was Head of Powercraft for four years from 2006 and became an IRB instructor in 2004. 

Dean earned a Regional Service Award in 2014 and was a regional Examiner from 2011 -2014.  He continues to be a support member of the Club's Call Out Squad and brings an exceptional wealth of experience both in surf life saving and search and rescue, to any incident response.

Dean was appointed Chairman of the IMRF in June 2019.

Click here to read an article about his 31-year long career which has included marine search and rescue, rescue vessel operations, SAR communications and SAR incident management.