Station Commander Garth Dominy and Deputy Station Commander Mike Vonk from NSRI Station 23, Wilderness, were honoured to present a letter of thanks to three Herolds Bay locals on behalf of the National Sea Rescue Institute of South Africa (NSRI).
The three locals were Lisha Collins, Francois Anker and Dale Irvine were actively involved in saving lives using the Pink Rescue Buoy.
We appreciate the courage and bravery of these men and women who put their lives at risk to save another.
The following citations were presented:
Letter of thanks presented to Lisha Collins:
for the part that she played in rescuing two men from a rip current at Herold's Bay at 12h00 on Thursday 19 November 2020. While at home, having lunch Lisha noticed two men being pulled out in a rip current. After watching them for a few minutes she realized that they needed help. Lisha asked her brother to alert Francois Anker to the situation, grabbed her fins and ran down to the beach. Francois was already in the water swimming to the men with a Pink Rescue Buoy. Lisha swam out to them and the two Herold's Bay locals slowly towed the elderly man and his middle aged son, who were both holding onto the Pink Rescue Buoy, out of the current and into the shallows thereby saving their lives.We salute you for rescuing two men from drowning.
Letter of thanks presented to Francois Anker:
for the part that he played in rescuing two men from a rip current at Herold's Bay at 12h00 on Thursday 19 November 2020. While at home, Francois received a call from Jason Collins saying that Lisha was on her way to help two men who were being pulled out in a rip current. Francois, who lives closer to the beach than Lisha, grabbed his fins and hooked a Pink Rescue Buoy off its pole before launching into the water to help the men. Francois had reached the men with the Pink Buoy and was allowing them to rest while holding on to it when Lisha swam out. The two Herold's Bay locals slowly towed the elderly man and his middle aged son, both holding onto the Pink Rescue Buoy, out of the current and into the shallows, thereby saving their lives.We salute you for saving two men from drowning.
Letter of thanks presented to Dale Irvine:
for the part that he played in rescuing a young man from a rip current at Herold's Bay at 08h46 on Friday 23 October 2020. While on the beach Dale saw a teenager running to the rocks with a Pink Rescue Buoy and knew that someone needed help. He grabbed his bodyboard and fins before launching into the sea to help.
Ruben Oelofsen,21, had been washed off the rocks while fishing and in trying to get back out he broke his knee. Dale had seen Ruben's younger brother Willie,19, running with the Pink Buoy and now both brothers were in the rough shore break. Dale went to help Ruben first as he did not have flotation. Using his knowledge of the area and skill on a body board Dale surfed Ruben to the safety of shallow water on his board, thereby saving his life. Using the Pink Rescue Buoy as flotation Willie managed to get himself safely to the beach.
Dale, we salute you for saving the life of a young man.
Well done!
