Jamie Potgieter has done close to 1 000 hours of service at the NSRI
Visit www.nsri.org.za for more information.
Jamie Potgieter (21), is a junior academy coordinator and trainee Coxwain at the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) based in Benoni.
She has followed in her father Gerhard Potgieter’s footsteps by volunteering at the institution for six years, doing close to 1 000 hours of service.
Her father is currently the Gauteng station commander, while Jamie highlighted that her father started volunteering at the NSRI when she was five years old.
“I grew up running around rescue bases. Some would say it is in my blood,” Potgieter said.
Jamie moved to Farrarmere when she was in Grade Seven and matriculated from Hoerskool Hans Moore in 2016.
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She explained that the best thing about volunteering has to be the look on people’s faces after they have been assisted, as well as all the different skills she learns.
“I am currently working in sales, but hope to study teaching as my passion is working with children, which is what I really enjoy about my position with NSRI.”
The NSRI volunteers have been training both online as well as in small groups at the dam to keep up their skills.
During the lockdown restrictions she kept busy by baking cupcakes for children’s homes in Farrarmere.
The NSRI is a charity organisation that saves lives on South African waters both coastal and inland.
The organisation works to prevent drowning through rescue operations, education and prevention initiatives.
The NSRI is totally reliant on donations and sponsorships in order to do the work of saving lives, changing lives, and creating futures.
The minimum age for joining the National Sea Rescue Institute as a trainee rescuer is 16 years of age.
Some NSRI stations offer a junior academy where candidates are able to join in for some of the theory related training from age 12 onwards.
On this basis, these candidates are able to become fully fledged rescue crew once they have passed the minimum number of sea hours and practical assessments shortly after turning 16, due to the benefit of having completed most of the theoretical aspects sooner.
Any trainee and any volunteer training conditions and expectations are appropriately matched to the candidate’s ability, to manage their safety.
Visit www.nsri.org.za for more information.
