Holidays busy but safe
NSRI was part of a joint operation in Port Edward on New Year's Day.
ALTHOUGH the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality has failed to respond to requests for information about the effectiveness of its crowd control measures at popular beaches during the busy holidays, the South Coast Herald has received generally positive public feedback.
There have also been bouquets all round for the municipal cleaning squads which worked tirelessly to keep public places as litter free as possible during the holiday season.
Early birds out and about soon after dawn on New Year’s Day said they’d been amazed at the clean condition of their beaches and the surrounding areas. Although massive crowds had headed for the beaches to welcome in the new year, there was little evidence of the revelry early next morning, except for the piles of rubbish that had already been picked up and bagged.
According to the SAPS, during the holiday season 24 people were arrested on the South Coast for drinking and driving.
Port Edward’s National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Station 32 played a role in keeping up to 10 000 beachgoers safe at Port Edward on New Year’s Day.
According to duty controller Alan Stilwell, the first day of the year saw the NSRI duty crew, Law Enforcement, the Traffic Inspectorate, SAPS, Sector Police, Emergency Medical Services, Ray Nkonyeni Municipality authorities, Tower 13 lifeguards and ratepayers’ representatives converging on the beach at 6am.
This was in accordance with the Municipality’s Safety, Security and Emergency Services strategic plan and NSRI was an integral component of this plan as far as crowd assistance and water safety were concerned.
The primary thrusts of the combined operation were to discourage public drinking and to provide crowd control and water safety. The day started quietly and orderly, although volumes of people steadily increased. By about 3pm, numbers peaked at about 10 000 people.
The operation was completed at 9pm after a generally successful day with no major incidents and no serious injuries reported. A swarm of bluebottles entered the bay at about 3pm causing some discomfort to the many bathers.
Some 70 people were treated for stings.
A young woman was treated after she fell on some rocks, lacerating her foot. One missing child was reunited with family after being in NSRI care for about 30 minutes while family was being located.
“NSRI is aware that the police confiscated large quantities of alcohol, a firearm, four knives and other items deemed dangerous. No incidents were, however, reported,” said Mr Stilwell.
He said lifeguards and other law enforcers had kept beachgoers well controlled and safe and no swimmers had needed assistance. The combined operation had been a great success, Mr Stilwell added.
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