The National Sea Rescue Institute is a volunteer rescue organisation that is on call 24/7. Our mission is to save lives on South African waters. But we’re more than a rescue service. We educate communities and strive to innovate and constantly evolve and extend our water-safety initiatives through empowerment and visibility.
An overview of our organisation, its history and people.
NSRI is manned by more than 1350 unpaid volunteers at over 50 rescue bases, including satellite or auxiliary stations and inland dams. In addition, more than 20 Lifeguard Units have been established around the country
We mobilise for swift-water and flooding scenarios, fires on vessels, and medical evacuations off ships and coastal clifftops. We assist commercial trawlers and leisure yachts. We activate for fishermen, swimmers, anglers, hikers, paddlers and surfers. Families and communities are impacted emotionally and economically when lives are lost. Through water-safety education and active rescue, we can save lives, change lives and create futures.
Our sea-going crew is complemented by a volunteer Lifeguard Unit and Survival Swimming squads, a host of dedicated full-time water-safety personnel, an Emergency Operations Centre situated at our head office, and dedicated fundraisers who are in communication with our donors and supporters. We’re a people’s organisation, constantly innovating and expanding our footprint to serve our communities through preventive services and education.
Help us save lives on South African waters.
The NSRI couldn’t operate without your support. Each life saved and child educated is thanks to your contributions and donations
For general enquiries
In the seventh of a series of stories on NSRI bases around the country, we chat to a few crew members at Station 8 (Hout Bay) to find out more about the base and its family of volunteers.
The NSRI walked away with two awards at the recent International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) Awards. The winners have also been nominated for Peoples’ Choice Awards, so get voting!
In the sixth of a series of stories on NSRI bases around the country, we chat to a few crew members at Station 7 (East London) to find out more about the base and its family of volunteers.
When five members of a family join the NSRI, you know that together they will be an unstoppable force!
In the fifth of a series of stories on NSRI bases around the country, we chat to a few crew members at Station 6 (Gqeberha) to find out more about the base and its family of volunteers.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a lifesaving technique that is critical to know how to do in many emergencies such as drowning. Donnalee 11, from Ceres was 8 years old when she drowned in a farm dam. “Four boys saved my life by doing CPR on me, I can’t remember anything about it, but my friends say that they pulled me out of the water and rescued me,” she explains.
