Adopt a swimmer kids visit our rescue base in Plettenberg Bay

On Saturday, the 11th of February, Station 14 Plettenberg Bay had the privilege of spending a few hours with the Adopt a Swimmer kids.Ross Badenhorst crew member at Station 14 Plettenberg Bay reports:What an incredible group of kids that are from all different walks of life. They were so attentive and eager to learn and listened to everything we had to teach them. They have already been given a good grounding with Louise from the Adopt a swimmer program, but at that age there is always more to learn. The day started off by giving the kids a quick tour of the station, the boats and other equipment we use to perform rescues. From there we moved upstairs, for a short talk on water safety.We explained what rip currents are and how to escape the grip of the rip, how to remember emergency numbers, what to do if someone is in difficulty, and to have a plan in place when visiting the beach, rivers or lagoons. The course is based on the WaterWise program set out by NSRI nationally.We showed them three short video clips where they sat dead still, absorbing all we were teaching them. After the videos, we gave them a basic lesson in CPR and what to do if they came across someone who is unresponsive.We then went down to the sea, where we showed them the rescue noodles, which can be found at all major beaches and lagoons in our area, and demonstrated how they can be used to save and assist someone in trouble.It is great to see the initiative by Louise, teaching these youngsters so much, and to see all her hard work paying off. To the adopt a swimmer kids, it was a pleasure to have you come and visit us, and keep up your hard work in the pool and ocean. Remember to teach others what you have learnt with us as it is so important to teach water wise and safety at a young age.Below are some images of the day: Plettenberg Bay crewmember demonstrating CPR