National – Saturday, 18th April. NSRI during the lockdown

NATIONAL:Our NSRI volunteer rescue crews around the country remain on high alert to respond to emergencies despite the challenges posed by the lockdown.Observing Covid-19 Department of Health regulations and protocols a reduced crew attend and conduct routine maintenance and boat checks at our sea rescue stations around the country on a weekly basis to ensure that our sea rescue craft and equipment are in peak and serviceable order and ready to be deployed to emergencies.Reduced crew launch our rescue craft weekly to conduct necessary routine exercises and boat checks.Our training department has devised online theory training tasks and physical training tasks that can be done at home in our ongoing efforts to keep our volunteer rescue crews in tip top mental and physical shape for the demands of emergency operations.NSRI rescue swimmers and NSRI lifeguards in particular have to stay in peak physical shape.Innovative ways to exercise at home has seen some creative ideas developed.Our NSRI CEO, Dr Cleeve Robertson, has gone so far as to devise a rope system tied to a tree and tied around the waist to aid resistance training in a home swimming pool that is not large enough for a person to do laps.NSRI is funded by public donations and sponsorships and our tele-marketing team are working from home continuing in our efforts to raise much needed funds and we commend the public for their support and assistance.NSRI appeal to the public to have home safety top of mind during the extended lockdown.[video width='640' height='352' mp4='https://www.nsri.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/VID-20200418-WA0020.mp4'][/video]