OUR PURPOSE – S AV I N G L I V E S
PRIMARY PREVENTION Preventative measures can be defined as any actions that provide advice, guidance or direction to a person that mitigates against risk. These include identifying and eliminating hazards, beach or water patrol, moving safe area swimming flags, erecting and moving signage, closing the beach and educating beach goers on fixed hazards. Proactive drowning prevention education, awareness and physical interventions have also increased dramatically. These activities lead to fewer rescue operations as members of the public are more mindful about water safety.
LIFEGUARDING The NSRI lifeguard service grew exponentially over the past year, increasing the number of units from seven to 21, and the number of lifeguards from 94 to 194 (of which 49 are female and 108 are black). We successfully delivered an excellent lifeguard service over the 2020/21 season at 21 beaches around the South African coast, contracted by various municipalities, who were extremely pleased with the level of impact and service we delivered. Our lifeguarding model is changing the paradigm of effective lifeguarding with a focus on professionalism, prevention and passion, using effective and dynamic training techniques and reporting, to better respond and evolve upwards. We supply our lifeguards with the best equipment to get the
job done safely and we ensure the best training available, above and beyond traditional lifeguarding standards and methods. Stewart Seini, our lifeguarding manager, supported by a team of contract managers, did a great job of responding and ensuring a dedicated service, despite the uncertainty and disruptions of COVID-19, sudden beach closures and then beach openings during the season. Undoubtedly, many lives were saved by our responsiveness, and no lives were lost to drowning in the places where we were present. The above image indicates our drowning chain of survival for the 2020/21 lifeguard season. The drowning chain of survival refers to a series of steps that, when enacted, reduces mortality associated with drowning and attempted aquatic rescue.
PINK RESCUE BUOYS The NSRI pink rescue buoys rollout started in November 2017. At the end of 2020, we had deployed over 900 buoys at beaches, rivers, dams and pools all around South Africa and even a few as far as the Mozambique coast. We have managed to keep the cost of sponsoring a pink rescue buoy at R1 500 since the start of the project, thanks to the support of our suppliers and strategic partners. In 2020, we began rolling out a pink rescue buoy volunteer programme whereby members of the public can become official pink rescue buoy volunteers. We currently have over 30 volunteers and they were all supplied with a formal NSRI pink rescue buoy identity tag, a bright pink sun hat and the basic hardware necessary to maintain the
“The Saldanha Bay Municipality has prioritised safety to ensure that residents and vacationers are safe. Beach safety was identified as a key deliverable, hence the NSRI was appointed over the festive season of 2020/2021 to ensure the beach safety at all the critical beaches. This includes Saldanha, Paternoster, St Helena Bay and Leentjiesklip (Langebaan). The professionality of the NSRI portrays their commitment, and their dedication throughout the festive season is commendable. It was a pleasure for families and friends to visit our beaches with the knowledge that they will be safe. The NSRI definitely contributes to the priority of Council for a safe environment, and we want to commend you for the work ethic of a high standard. “
1 102 lifeguarding preventions 16
Mario Jacobs Manager: Public Safety, Saldanha Bay Municipality
N S R I – I N T E G R AT E D A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 0
