Over the weekend, a Good Samaritan used an NSRI Pink Buoy to save a life; this is the 81st successful rescue using the innovative rescue tool.
Port Alfred, South Africa (23 November 2021) – The NSRI shared the news that the innovative Pink Buoy has contributed to its 81st life-saving rescue in Port Alfred. This after it was recently used to save a life in Sea Point, Western Cape.
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 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.
Gerrit Cloete, the NSRI Port Alfred duty coxswain, shared that the team witnessed a rescue over the weekend.
“At 15h06, Saturday, 20 November, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a drowning in progress at West Beach.
The sea rescue craft Rescue 11 Alpha was launched while NSRI rescue swimmers, our NSRI sea rescue vehicle, EC Government Health EMS and Private Care ambulance services responded.
On arrival on the scene we found a Good Samaritan, believed to be from Makanda, using an NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy, assisting a 16 year old local male out of the water.
An NSRI rescue swimmer was deployed from our sea rescue craft and he waded ashore as the Good Samaritan, and other bystanders, were helping the teenager onto the beach.
The teenager was medically assessed by paramedics before being released into the care of his family.
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NSRI commend the man who saved the teenagers life using the NSRI pink rescue buoy.
This is the 81st life saved with the contribution of an NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy around the South African coastline since the program launched in 2017.” – Gerrit Cloete
The rescue was caught on camera, you can watch it here.
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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