NSRI providing water safety support to Gauteng

With the official launch of Gauteng’s National Sea Rescue Institute’s Station 27, community members can feel safe while in the water.

Also read: No price too high to save a life

The inland station provides water safety support to Gauteng and has assisted SAPS and other emergency services with search and recovery operations in the Jukskei River on several occasions – especially during floods.

Watch: Father relives flood horror

The station focuses largely on swift water (river) rescues.

“The November 2016 floods in and around Edenvale set the benchmark. We realised the minimum standard required from us,” said Gerhard Potgieter, the station commander of Station 27.

Also read: #Floods Gallery: Residents band together to clean up after devastating floods

Potgieter said that at the time of the floods the station was establishing its swift water team.

Station 27 announced its launch at Van Ryn Dam in Benoni recently.

With 15 years of service in the organisation, Potgieter said he is proud of the station and how it has grown.

Originally founded in 2006, the station moved from Victoria Lake Germiston to Benoni in August this year.

The station relocated as the Benoni facilities offer long-term certainty and room to grow.

Potgieter, who has been station commander since September 2016, said the station’s crew is made up entirely of volunteers from all walks of life.

“Because everyone is a volunteer, NSRI has vast resources to draw upon. Some of us are doctors, engineers and paramedics,” said Potgieter.

Potgieter said for him personally, being involved in NSRI is a way to escape the stress of day-to-day life and give back to the community.

As station commander, some of Potgieter’s duties include attending to emergency calls and determining whether the station can assist with the emergency or not.

He said his top priority is to keep the crew safe and assist where possible.

As an inland station, Station 27 is responsible for providing water safety support at community and water sport events.

Potgieter said the station is also able to assist municipalities and police in times of emergencies.

In February 2017, Station 27 assisted in the search for the late Angel Sibanda, a six-year-old girl who was swept away by floods in Diepsloot.

Sibanda’s body was found a few days later after she went missing.

Potgieter said at the moment the station is trying to establish a strong relationship with communities and local municipalities.

“NSRI stands for hope. No matter what the emergency is, people who call us are hopeful we can assist them,” said Potgieter.

However, not every emergency has a happy ending.

“There are times when we can’t give closure to a family. For me this is the worst, especially when children are involved.

“You try your best but you can’t always help. Sometimes it feels like you let the family down,” said Potgieter.

Besides being the opening day to the public, November 18 also marked the day Station 27 celebrated the 50th anniversary of the NSRI.

On the day community members were treated to NSRI rescue drills, boat rides and CPR training.

“Our opening day was about inviting the community to our house and making the public aware of us,” said Potgieter.

For more information about the Gauteng station, visit the NSRI website or phone Potgieter on 083 304 1292.

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WATCH Station 27’s rescue drill: