Be Careful out there

Sea Rescue – National – 23 December, 2010. Sea Rescue braces for emergencies:Sea Rescue and other emergency services are braced for an influx of holiday-makers to the coast and we urge the people to exercise extreme caution.-Parents should make certain their children have responsible adult supervision around coastal and inland waters and swimming pools.-Rip-currents are the greatest cause of drowning accidents in South Africa and Lifesaving SA are urging the public to swim only at beaches where and when lifeguards are on duty and obey the lifeguards instructions.-Anglers should wear life-jackets when fishing from rocks.-Anyone launching any kind of craft onto coastal or inland waters should wear a life-jacket, carry safety gear and let a responsible person know departure time, exact route and return time – stick to your route and let the responsible person know of your safe return.-Avoid alcohol consumption around water.-NSRI volunteers will physically man our sea rescue bases around South Africa during strategic days over this holiday period and are available to respond to sea rescue emergencies 24 -hours a day every day of the year and regular inshore coastal patrols will be carried out during this festive period.-Until the 5th of January three Surf Rescue helicopters, sponsored by Discovery and crewed by an ER24 paramedic, a Lifesaving SA rescue swimmer and a NSRI rescue swimmer, will be available to respond to sea rescue emergencies in Kwa-Zulu-Natal, the Western Cape and at strategic intervals between Plettenberg Bay and East London.-Until the end of February the Metro EMS Red Cross AMS helicopter will be available for medical and rescue emergencies (including sea and mountain rescue operations) until 22h00 each day in the Western Cape and at strategic intervals along the Southern Cape. A Lifesaving SA rescue swimmer or an NSRI rescue swimmer will physically crew on the Metro EMS Red Cross AMS helicopter which is also crewed by a Metro advanced rescue medic and a Red Cross AMS paramedic.-Discovery have also sponsored a host of Discovery Rescue Runners (specialised surf rescue jet-ski’s) which are deployed at strategic coastal sea rescue bases around South Africa.-The full force of the Emergency Services, that compliment sea rescue operations, are on high alert to assist in sea rescue operations.Know your nearest sea rescue emergency number.SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS:Richards Bay: 035-9053444 or 035-7531991.Durban: 031-3618567East London: 043-7002100Port Elizabeth: 041- 5071911Mossel Bay: 044-6046271Cape Town: 021-4493500Saldanha Bay: 022-7141726