KEY POINTS:
The richest reward search and rescue volunteers received at an awards function at Parliament last night wasn't their medals or the additional government funding Transport Minister Annette King announced.
Rather, it was the fact the people they had rescued were in the room with them.
Watching lifeguards Lilah Foote, Rebekah Gee and Briar Macken - from Pukehina in the Bay of Plenty - receive their Gold Bravery Award were the Charlestons, who were hauled to safety from the cabin of an overturned boat.
Motueka caver Michael Brewer was also there to thank representatives of the 98 people who worked to free him from the Middle Earth cave system in Takaka.
"It was an amazing rescue," Dr Brewer said of the drama in August in which cavers and search and rescue volunteers, as well as police, army and Fire Service personnel, spent 70 hours hauling him to safety after he was injured and became trapped.
"I've been involved in rescues from the other side, and I know this was big ... Logistically it was probably the biggest rescue that has happened and also my injuries unfortunately were the worst for a long time.
"I'm very grateful to everybody because I wasn't going to be getting out of there any other way."
"Operation Brewer" received the 2007 Search and Rescue Certificate of Achievement, recognition its namesake said was well deserved. So many things that could have gone wrong did go wrong, but he had been saved despite that.
"I have been sighted underground since," Dr Brewer said.
"Because I'm so close to such an amazing caving area I am called out often as first response for rescues, so you have to keep your skills current."
In January last year, Pip Smit had taken Leanne Charleston and Amie, 15, Cera, 8, and Eythn, 6, fishing off Pukehina. A wave flipped their 6m vessel, throwing Mr Smit into the water and leaving his partner and the children trapped in the cabin.
Lifeguards Ms Foote, Ms Gee and Ms Macken had been watching the boat from the shore and were quickly on the scene.
"At the time my first thought was, 'What the hell are these chicks going to be able to do to help?' but they were amazing," Mr Smit said.
Meanwhile, under the water, Ms Charleston had established that all her children were safe and was wondering how long the air bubble they were in would last.
"They were trapped for about 20 minutes by the time we were able to get them free," Ms Gee said.
"We had to cut the anchor line, turn it sideways and then get help to lift it up. That broke the seal, which moved the fish bin that was blocking the cabin door, and then we were able to get them out."
The Charlestons, who were all wearing the lifejackets they had bought the previous day, were then pulled to safety.
"We were very lucky. Someone was watching over us that day," Ms Charleston said.
Also honoured was Wairarapa fisherman Brett Churcher, who received the International Maritime Organisation bravery award for saving a man and his 4-year-old daughter in treacherous waters near Lake Ferry.
As well as presenting the awards, Ms King announced an additional $8.4 million funding for Search and Rescue over the next two years, nearly doubling taxpayers' contribution to the organisation.
