Media release

New IRB for Surf Life Saving Kariaotahi

A NZCT grant of $10,000 will improve safety at Kariaotahi Beach near Auckland.

The support from NZCT has enabled the purchase of a new IRB (inflatable rescue boat) in time for the busy summer period.

Kariaotahi Beach is a hidden gem that is growing in popularity. In the peak of summer, 2000 people could be on the beach, with around 350 people in the water at any one time. Rescues are often unpredictable and multiple incidents can occur at the same time.

“Over the most recent patrolling season we performed 16 rescues, as well as 35 patient assists which involve lifeguards providing assistance to get people to shore safely,” says Surf Life Saving Kariaotahi spokesperson Ella Karrebaek. “A ton of our work involves taking preventative actions to try and reduce incidents before they happen. Our last patrolling season included 2,123 preventative actions involving 12,538 people.”

The new IRB will be put to use immediately at Kariaotahi Beach and will be deployed every single time a person might be in trouble in the water.

“Our club has sensational lifeguards, but the rescue equipment we use on a daily basis contributes massively to how well we can do our job,” says Ella. “During a rescue scenario every single second counts, so having reliable rescue equipment is a top priority. As we approach yet another busy summer, being able to make this purchase couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Ella and the rest of the club are very grateful to NZCT for the grant.

“We understand NZCT has applications from hundreds of different organisations each month, so we are grateful ours has been successful. The equipment purchased from this funding really does save lives. Without IRBs ready to launch at Kariaotahi Beach, many people wouldn’t return home to their families at the end of the day.”

Ella says that the club’s experience with NZCT has been seamless.

“The application process was simple and we received notification of our successful application very quickly. We are also fortunate enough that this is not the first time we have received funding from NZCT and really do appreciate their ongoing support.”

ENDS

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