New rescue surf skis for Taylors Mistake Surf Life Saving Club

A recent NZCT grant will help keep the beach safe at Taylors Mistake near Christchurch. The $15,936 grant will help the Taylors Mistake Surf Life Saving Club buy five rescue surf skis to replace the existing ones used by the club that are at the end of their useful life.

Club Administrator Adrian Mouldey says that everyone connected with the club has been overwhelmed by the grant. “It is a great confidence booster. It signals to us that organisations such as NZCT believe in the benefits surf lifesaving clubs like ours provide to the community in keeping the beach safe over summer.”

Taylors Mistake and the nearby bays are popular in the warmer months. On a hot day, over 2000 people can be at the beach at Taylors Mistake with up to 20 lifeguards from the club being present. A normal patrol would see 10-12 lifeguards present. In the past year, the club has had 95 active lifeguards volunteering over 1800 hours. In this time, 12 rescues have been made and 15 first aid treatments given.

Funding for new equipment, such as rescue surf skis, is vital to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the lifeguard service at Taylors Mistake.

“Our volunteer lifeguards undergo extensive training in rescue and recovery procedures that usually require various forms of equipment to assist them,” says Adrian. “The equipment used includes rescue surf skis, rescue boards and inflatable rescue boats (IRBs). It is this equipment that the club needs funding from organisations such as NZCT to purchase. Each piece of equipment has a limited lifespan and in the case of rescue surf skis this is usually 5-6 years.”

“NZCT are always good to deal with,” says Adrian. “We are very grateful for the grant, and the five skis have already been put to good use by the lifeguards in their fitness training for patrol work.”

ENDS

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