The Pink Buoy initiative by the NSRI has been a major success; the organisation is celebrating the fact that 100 lives have been saved since 2017.
South Africa (23 February 2022) – The NSRI Pink buoys are placed across beaches in South Africa as a way to help prevent drowning. The concept of the buoy is for the public to use it while they wait for a lifeguard or emergency services to arrive on the scene. The buoys have officially saved over 100 lives since being installed around South Africa.
The NSRI released their pink buoys in 2017 after noticing a similarity in the various scenarios where drownings occurred. It was evident that Good Samaritans would go into the water after spotting a drowning in progress however once in the water, the rescuer would also become distressed. The pink buoy offers a floating refuge for the person in distress as well as the Good Samaritan lending a helping hand.
The NSRI know of 102 lives saved since November 2017 but there could be many more lives saved as this number excludes any incidences where the Pink Buoys were successfully used and replaced without the NSRI being informed that the rescue took place.
“The success of this initiative is overwhelming evidence that supports the World Health Organization’s 2017 report on preventing drowning – an implementation guide. The WHO stated in this report that all citizens should be taught safe peer rescue techniques (such as throwing or using a floatation device) and should be taught how to do CPR, which is what the NSRI has been doing since our water safety education programme started in 2006,” – Dr Jill Fortuin, NSRI’s Executive Director
“All rescues that have been attempted with a Pink Rescue Buoy have been successful and no harm has come to any rescuers, which is what evidence from similar programmes worldwide have also shown. We have noticed that most incidents where Pink Buoys are used are when people are caught in RIP currents. Making it crucial for beachgoers to understand why they should swim where lifeguards are on duty and know how to spot a RIP current,”
The device is so life-changing that one was used at Glencairn Beach in Simon’s Town just 12 hours after it was installed.
“A gale-force southeaster was blowing that afternoon, naturally, this made securing the pole, signage and Pink Rescue Buoy a challenge, but, I just had the feeling it needed to be done,” – Andrew Ingram, Drowning Prevention Manager
“It was early on a hot Saturday morning when Franswa Fernandez and his partner Alicia Adriaanse decided to take a walk before swimming. When they were heading back Franswa noticed a rip current and how people in the water were still swimming even though it didn’t look safe to him. Within seconds, he saw, one of the youngsters being pulled out to sea in the rip which he describes as ‘running like a steam train’ Franswa, a former professional and volunteer lifeguard, immediately noticed something he hadn’t seen on Glencairn Beach before. Right, there was a Pink Rescue Buoy. His experience kicked in; he grabbed the buoy and ran into the water. He let the rip take him out to where the youngster was. Where he rescue swam the youngster towards the rocks at Simon’s Town side of the beach,”
With 100 saved lives, it is evident that the Pink Buoy is a project that should be adopted by more municipalities. Having one at each beach, dam or river is an essential!
The NSRI urges community members to become pink lifesavers by reporting any missing pink rescue buoys to their Emergency Operations Centre on 021 434 4011. Your report could save a life. Fortuin also urged water users to immediately call the emergency numbers on the Pink Rescue Buoy sign or 112 from their cell phone for help if someone is in danger of drowning.
You can save lives too by sponsoring a Pink Rescue Buoy for a community in need at the cost of R1500 per buoy or by supporting the NSRI’s drowning prevention initiatives.
You can see the various way to donate here: www.nsri.org.za/donate.
If you would like to volunteer and assist the NSRI in protecting and maintaining the buoys, please contact pinkrescuebuoys@searescue.org.za
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