The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has successfully utilized its installed cameras to spot and rescue a 10-year-old boy who was in danger of drowning at Strand Beach in Cape Town.
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According to Andrew Ingram, the NSRI’s drowning prevention manager, the boy, whose name is Matthew, was recorded on the cameras earlier this year.
Thanks to the prompt action taken by the NSRI, Matthew’s life was saved. The incident highlights the importance of such surveillance measures in ensuring public safety at beaches and other water bodies.
Sea rescuers were alerted to the presence of the young boy in danger by Lezhae Snyders, who serves as the National Sea Rescue Institute’s (NSRI) emergency operations camera operator.
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Her quick thinking and timely response played a crucial role in ensuring the boy’s safety. Such efficient collaboration and utilization of resources by the NSRI team members are commendable and emphasize the importance of having well-trained personnel in emergency response teams.
‘I was doing my regular monitoring, I saw that someone was in trouble, and zoomed in to confirm. I quickly alerted the lifeguards who had not started their day shift,’ said Snyders.
According to Ingram had recently received his first survival swimming lesson.
It is noteworthy that the NSRI has installed cameras at various beaches, including Strand Beach, Blouberg Beach, Herolds Bay, and Buffels Bay in the Western Cape. These locations are known to have treacherous rip currents that can put swimmers’ lives at risk.
Ingram further mentioned that the NSRI has plans to install additional cameras at various spots in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal by the year-end.
To ensure the proper functioning of these cameras, the organization requires more volunteers to operate them. This call for more volunteers highlights the need for public participation in keeping our beaches and coastal areas safe.
‘We will train these volunteers on how to operate the cameras. Our emergency operations centre is always ready to help should a volunteer need guidance.
‘In Herolds Bay, we have a pool of volunteers who work closely with the first responders in that area,’ said Ingram.
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Video and Picture: NSRI/Facebook