Woman caught in rip current recovers
If you see someone who needs help, call a lifeguard or the NSRI.
A woman (62) caught in rip currents at Rocky Bay Caravan Park was assisted by NSRI Rocky Bay on the morning of November 24.
Two NSRI rescue craft, Megan II and Rescue 39 Alpha (on a training exercise), were diverted to help the woman who had reached the shoreline.
NSRI rescue swimmers swam to shore, where they initiated medical treatment on the woman who was in a serious condition, having suffered lacerations and non-fatal drowning symptoms.
She was taken to the NSRI Rocky Bay Station 39 rescue base, where medical treatment continued, and then transported to hospital by Umdoni ambulance. She has since recovered and has been discharged from hospital.
“If she hadn’t received the oxygen as quickly as she did, she wouldn’t have made it. Her husband is grateful for our crew’s professionalism and the manner in which we treated his wife,” said a Station 39 spokesperson.
The NSRI urges the public to take note of the following safety tips:
· Swimming between the lifeguard flags is safest.
· Most people cannot identify dangerous currents or rip currents at beaches. Lifeguards can keep you safe between their flags – so rather go into the water there.
· If caught in a current, do not panic; float and swim to the side (out of the current) before trying to swim back to the beach.
· If you see someone who needs help, call a lifeguard or the NSRI.
· Try and throw something that floats to the swimmer in trouble.
· Only go into the water if you are a strong swimmer and have a flotation device.
· Never go into the water to try and help someone without floatation. A pink rescue buoy or surfboard are good examples of floatation devices.
· The general emergency number in South Africa is 112, and it is a free call. If you dial 112, you can ask to be put through to the police, ambulance, fire and rescue or NSRI/Sea Rescue.
· The NSRI’s emergency operation centre’s direct line is 087 0949774. Any NSRI resource in the country can be activated from this centre.
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