Drak marshals enhance safety skills
The KZN Canoe Union safety teams as well as the Sani Search Volunteers took part in refresher courses ahead of the holidays and the N3TC Drak Challenge.
WITH the N3TC Drak Challenge just weeks away, the local marshals completed a river rescue refresher course along the uMzimkhulu River to equip them with the skills to deal with any crisis that may emerge.
The N3TC Drak Challenge is managed by the KZN Canoe Union safety team, but key danger points are manned by men and women from the Sani Search Volunteers.
The volunteers completed a refresher course with Mark Willment, who brushed them up on the best practices for river rescue, using the Glenhaven rapid outside Underberg as the training base.
Mark was fully confident in Hill’s KNCU sweep and safety team, but said the Sani Search volunteers provide a vital service to the race. “These guys are all part of the Mountain Rescue Club, and in fact we are in the process of amalgamating with them formally,” said Mark. “They are well prepared to carry out rescues at major rapids like Black Murray and Glenhaven, where they will be deployed on race day. The course we conducted went through all the protocols for rapid rescue, foot entrapments and rescue swimmers.”
He added that the mountain rescue squad were best equipped to hike into remote areas to assist with rescues if needed. “We are all active in the mountain rescue squad, and these guys and girls have all the climbing and rope skills that will be needed if there is a remote rescue. They are incredibly versatile,” said Mark.
The capacity of the local river rescue squad has been dramatically improved by the donation of specialised rescue equipment from the race sponsors, N3TC, last year. “It has made a huge difference. We have specialised rescue life jackets and ropes, we have an inflatable croc that allows us to access any part of the river now, no matter how remote, and we have been training using the croc in specialised situations at weirs as well.
“They have indicated that they will be making another donation this year, which we have earmarked for more equipment, like small sit-on-top kayaks that will really help our rescue capacity.
“Swift water rescue is a really specialised field, and for a group like the Sani Search volunteers it is always a work in progress. we have to keep holding clinics and workshops to make sure we are up to speed with the best techniques and skills,” said Mark
The 2017 N3TC Drak Challenge Canoe Marathon is on 21 and 22 January in Southern Drakensberg.
