The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is calling on members of the public to stop jepping their Pink Rescue Buoys.
The NSRI says the 1800 buoys – deployed at selected beaches, rivers and dams across the country – have been used to save at least 177 people since its inception in 2017.
NSRI spokesperson Andrew Ingram says: “We are constantly identifying additional sites where they can be placed in cooperation with Municipal authorities.
“The Pink Rescue Buoys have caught the imagination of communities as the word spreads that they successfully save lives. However, we have had a few Pink Buoys stolen over this holiday season. Theft of a Pink Buoy may cost someone their life.”
Ingram says to ensure the safety of the Pink Bouys the NSRI has partnered with community volunteers to look after the devices and make sure that they are always ready to be used.
He warns: “If you see a pole that is missing a Pink Buoy, please call the cell number on the pole to let us know so that we can replace it. If you see someone with a Pink Buoy and they do not have NSRI identification, it has probably been stolen from a pole.
“Please ask the person who has it to return it to the pole that they removed it from OR call NSRI so that we can recover the buoy to relocate it to its pole,” adds Ingram.
The NSRI emergency number is 087 094 9774.