GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is celebrating the women who serve across its rescue stations, swimming pools, classrooms and beaches, ahead of Women's Day on 9 August.

From volunteer sea rescue crew to survival swimming instructors, shore controllers and Pink Rescue Buoy custodians, women play a vital role in building safer communities along South Africa's coastline and inland waters.

"We pay tribute to extraordinary South African women, especially those who have chosen to serve their communities as NSRI volunteers," said NSRI Chief Executive Officer Michael Vonk. "They give their time freely, often in demanding environments, responding with courage and skill, day and night."

Women currently make up 60% of the NSRI's 189 employees and 30% of its 1 566-strong volunteer force, with growing numbers of women in leadership roles across the organisation.

"Compared to other rescue organisations internationally, this level of female participation is significant, and it positions the NSRI as a leader in efforts to support women in operational rescue roles," Michael said. "These women serve as station commanders, coxswains, crew, rescue swimmers, shore controllers, survival swimming instructors, water safety educators and Pink Rescue Buoy custodians."

Building capacity and confidence: women lead a record MEX course

In early July, women outnumbered men for the first time on the NSRI's Maritime Extrication (MEX) course http://issuu.com/wendymaritz/ one of the most physically demanding courses in sea rescue, covering rope work at height and safely bringing an injured casualty off a vessel. Five of the nine candidates were women.

"When women see other women climbing, hauling and leading on a course like MEX, it changes what they believe is possible for themselves," said Melodie Herrmann of the NSRI's Volunteer Support Centre training team.

For candidate Lizelle Oosthuizen of NSRI Station 17 Hermanus, that shift was personal.

"It was nerve-wracking to think I was entering this course as a woman, when the stigma is that men are more capable of this. This course proved that wrong," she said. "This was one of the best courses I have ever taken. The knowledge I take away from this can be used in more ways than just at the station. It is life knowledge."

A majority-women MEX course would have been hard to imagine not so long ago. Today, it reflects the growing strength and diversity of the NSRI's volunteer base and the vital role women play in keeping South Africa's coastline safe.

Four women, four disciplines

That growing confidence and visibility runs through the whole organisation. This Women's Day, the NSRI is sharing the stories of four volunteers, in their own words.

Sheryll Grobler 

Sheryll Grobler volunteers as a sea rescue crew member at NSRI Station 6 Gqeberha, training and responding alongside fellow volunteers to rescue people and animals in distress at sea.

"The men and women in red wetsuits, on the red and yellow boats, will go out in all weathers, at all times, and rescue you when you're out of your depth," said Grobler.

Watch Sheryll's story: https://youtu.be/8fzAf0-aE7c

Sheryll Grobler

Nathi Ndamase 

Nathi Ndamase volunteers as an NSRI Survival Swimming Instructor, teaching children the skills they need to survive sudden, unexpected immersion in water.
"You want to teach them, before anything happens, the comfort of being in the water, and the confidence too, because a lot of people fear water," said Ndamase. "When you see someone move from fear of water to confidence in the water, that goes a long way for me."
Watch Nathi's story: https://youtu.be/SMC53TiAmqs

Nathi Ndamase

Ilhaam Adams

Ilhaam Adams volunteers as a shore controller at NSRI Station 16 Strandfontein in Cape Town's False Bay, despite admitting that she and the ocean "are not very good friends." 

"Even though I don't enter the water, I can still make a difference from inside the rescue station," said Adams. "We are a team of different people, with different skills and different backgrounds, who come together to make the whole mission work." Watch Ilhaam's story: https://youtu.be/l88QpTGim2Y

Ilhaam Adams

Theresa Pakulski

Theresa Pakulski volunteers as an NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy custodian for Woodbridge Island and Lagoon Beach in Cape Town's Table Bay, a role she took on after watching two teenage girls swept out by a rip current with no Pink Buoy nearby to help.

"Anybody from any walk of life, with any experience level, can help make sure those Pink Rescue Buoys are checked, serviced and ready to save a life when they're needed," said Pakulski. "It's really enabled by volunteers who know where the risk spots are on their own patch of coastline. That's one of the key value-adds of the NSRI: our local knowledge of the South African coastline is huge."

Watch Theresa's story: https://youtu.be/Q92IU4-I1u8

Theresa Pakulski

Why Women's Day matters to the NSRI

Women's Day commemorates the march of more than 20 000 women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on 9 August 1956, 70 years ago, in protest against the extension of apartheid pass laws to women. The same determination that drove that march is visible in every woman who volunteers and works for the NSRI today.

"At the NSRI, we recognise that diversity strengthens all of our operational teams, from rescue crews to our survival swimming and water safety teams," said Brett Ayres, NSRI Chief Operating Officer. "NSRI women are leaders and role models in society, and they help make us stronger and more effective."

How to get involved

 Women from all backgrounds are encouraged to volunteer with the NSRI and find their place in the organisation. Whether on a rescue craft, in a swimming pool, in a classroom or behind the scenes, the impact is significant. Visit https://www.nsri.org.za/support-us/join-the-nsri-family to find out how to join.

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