NSRI celebrate 75 lives saved for the first-ever UN International Drowning Prevention Day by putting on a big pink display of their Pink Buoys.
South Africa (27 July 2021) – The NSRI celebrated the first-ever United Nations International Drowning Prevention Day this weekend by putting on an incredible display of the Pink Buoys. They celebrated how successful the project has been over the last few years.
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 the buoy while they wait for a lifeguard or the emergency services.
The NSRI released their pink buoys in 2017 after noticing a similarity in the various scenarios where drownings occurred.
‘In a typical scenario Sea Rescue gets an emergency call for a swimmer in difficulty and, when we get there, we find two or more people in danger of drowning.
Tragically, sometimes we are not able to get there in time and someone drowns. Usually the person who does not survive is the kind person who went into the water to try and help a person in difficulty.’
The buoys are placed at beaches around South Africa and there to be thrown into the water where there is drowning in progress. The concept is that people will notify the NSRI of the drowning and use the buoy to keep the victim afloat until they can be rescued.
Speaking at the event on Sunday, Jill Fortuin, NSRI Director of Drowning Prevention, shared the statistics related to drowning in South Africa.
“We are delighted to join the world today in recognizing drowning for the issue that it is. In South Africa, 1 500 people drown every year. 450 of those are children under the age of 14,”
On 28 April 2021, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on drowning prevention that will see 25 July observed as World Drowning Prevention Day in order to promote water-safety awareness and encourage national action. You can see all the celebrated UN days here.
The NSRI used 200 Pink Buoys to display the number 75 on Rocklands Beach. The 75 is how many lives have been saved since the initiative was launched in 2017.
“The Rescue Buoys are bright pink so that they can be easily spotted on the water by responding emergency services. There is also a unique location number on the signpost so that crucial minutes can be saved for emergency services to help those in danger of drowning,” says Jill Fortuin.
“Our message to water users and anyone who may find themselves in danger of drowning is simple: “Think Pink”, added Fortuin.
“If you ever see someone in danger of drowning, think: “pink is for buoys”. Find the pink rescue buoy, throw it into the water, help the person to float, save a life. You’ll find our buoys at beaches along the coast, inland dams and rivers right across South Africa. But please remember that a stolen buoy could be a stolen life.”
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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