GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Residents of coastal towns will by now know that the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is on standby at all times to respond to emergencies that may occur in or around any body of water, but that is not the only type of emergencies they respond to.
On Monday 4 December, for instance, the NSRI Plettenberg Bay responded to two separate road accidents.
In the first incident their medical crew responded to an accident on the roadway outside the Plettenberg Bay fire station where a woman was struck by a car.
According to station commander Marc Rodgers, the woman was treated for her injuries on the scene and then transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition.
Later that day, said Rodgers, NSRI medical teams responded to a multiple motor vehicle accident on the N2 opposite Thyme and Again farmstall.
“Along with our teams, Plettenberg Bay fire and rescue services, WC government health EMS, Med-Life ambulance services, Plettenberg Bay traffic services and the SA police service joined us on the scene,” he said.
Rodgers said that six patients were treated for their injuries and taken to hospital – two in a serious condition and four in a stable condition.
Keeping water safety in mind though, the NSRI released a public warning urging extreme caution around the coast as the full-moon springtide is still in its peak time.
The tide, which started peaking on Sunday 3 December, is expected to subside by Friday 8 December.
According to NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon, springtide holds the most risk for beachgoers, bathers and shoreline anglers.
“Springtides bring a higher than normal high tide and a lower than normal low tide, causing stronger than normal rip currents for a few days leading up to the full moon or new moon, peaking on the day of the full moon or new moon and lasting for a few days after the full moon or new moon,” he said.
Lambinon added that rip currents are caused when the water reaching the shoreline in waves, swells and sea currents retreats back into the sea.
He warned that bathers are at risk of being swept out to sea by rip currents while swimming or wading in water along the beach front.
“Even bathers wading in shallow water who find themselves trapped in a rip current that forms suddenly are at risk of being swept out to sea,” he said.
What to do if caught in a rip current:
“Bathers caught in a rip current should not panic. Simply stay afloat by treading water, moving your arms and legs in circular movements, and don’t try to swim against the current as it will only cause you exhaustion and let the current sweep you out to sea.
"At your first opportunity swim parallel to the beachfront until you are free of the rip current and then use the incoming waves to get back to shore.
"While this is happening, scream for help and wave to alert people on the beach to raise the alarm,” said Lambinon.
ARTICLE: STEFAN GOOSEN, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD JOURNALIST
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