Ensure that an emergency situation doesn’t ruin your beach holiday with these safety tips from the NSRI.
The holiday season is upon us, and many South Africans will be heading to the beach for a bit of summer fun. The last thing anyone wants to deal with while enjoying the beach is an emergency, so we’ve put together a list of safety tips to help you and your loved ones have a safe and fun December vacation.
- Always swim at beaches where lifeguards are on duty, and always swim between the lifeguard’s flags.
- Don’t drink alcohol and then swim.
- Always swim with a buddy, never swim alone.
- Children must always be supervised by an attentive adult who is able to swim. Adults should never be distracted by their phones while watching children swim.
- Swimmers should know how to spot and avoid a rip current.
- Never attempt to rescue someone in distress by yourself.
- Watch children who are using floatation devices carefully as the wind could sweep them out to sea.
- Learn how to do CPR in case of an emergency.
- Remember that drowning is silent. People who are drowning are usually not yelling for help or waving their hands around.
- Boaters and paddlers must always watch the weather forecast carefully and be prepared for the worst if weather conditions change.
- If you’re going out paddling or boating, always let a responsible person know the route that you plan on taking and your estimated return time. An easy way to do this is to log your outing on the SafeTRX app. Click here to read more on the SafeTRX app.
- Wear a lifejacket at all times when out at sea and keep your cellphone, with fully charged batteries, in a watertight plastic sleeve attached to your lifejacket.
- Always wear a lifejacket while fishing close to the shore’s edge, especially on cliffs or rocks.
- Be aware of high and low tides and never turn your back to the sea while fishing.
- Take extra precautions during bi-monthly spring tides. Tidal rock pools may not be safe at these extra high tides.
Save these emergency contact numbers in your phone:
087 094 9774 (NSRI Emergency)
112 (National Emergency)
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