Beaches attract many people, especially during the summer season and other holiday seasons. However, because of the size of many beaches, and risks associated with them, including rip currents, it is important to have layers of safety in addition to lifeguards.
This according to Andrew Ingram, Drowning Prevention Manager at the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), who states that part of the mandate as the Drowning Prevention department at the NSRI is to look at innovative ways they could save the lives of South African water users.
“Earlier this year, one of the beach cameras at Strand Beach helped to save a life of a young boy, Matthew (10), who was spotted by our Drowning Prevention camera operator,” he said. “He was pulled away from the beach by a rip current and was struggling to stay afloat. Our camera operator spotted him, and we immediately alerted the local lifeguards to the emergency.”
The family of the young boy will forever be grateful to the eyes behind the camera monitor that were able to spot him in trouble. Lezhae Snyders, camera operator at the NSRI’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), described this day as an ordinary one for the EOC. “This all changed while I was doing my regular monitoring, and I saw what looked like someone in trouble, which I zoomed in to confirm. I quickly alerted the lifeguards who had not yet started their day shift.”
To date, the NSRI beach cameras are strategically placed at beaches that have dangerous rip currents. They are in the following areas in the Western Cape, Strand Beach, Blouberg Beach, Herolds Bay (Garden Route area) and Buffels Bay. “The aim is to expand this project into other areas, and we are aiming to install more cameras in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal by end of this year.”
In some areas the NSRI needs volunteers to man these cameras, especially since the rescue volunteers have a lot on their plates. So having volunteers who can assist by monitoring a Beach Safety Camera from the safety of their living room and to alert to any dangers, enables NSRI to save more lives.
“We will provide training to these volunteers on how to operate the cameras, and our Emergency Operations Centre is always ready to jump in and help should a volunteer need some guidance,” Ingram said. “In Herolds Bay we have a pool of volunteers who work closely with the first responders of that area.”
- To become a beach-camera volunteer email andrewi@searescue.org.za.
