TSB and Surf Life Saving NZ helping New Zealanders stay rip safe this summer

Nobody is stronger than a rip – that’s what TSB and Surf Life Saving NZ (SLSNZ) are setting out to teach New Zealanders as they hit the beach this summer.

TSB and SLSNZ are today launching a new rip current safety education campaign to ensure Kiwis know what to do if they find themselves caught in a rip while swimming.

The message is simple: Remember the three R’s -- Relax and float, Raise your hand and Ride the rip.

“This collaboration with SLSNZ is incredibly important to us, as it’s helping keep Kiwis safe in the water,” says TSB CEO Donna Cooper.

“We worked with SLSNZ to find out what the most important safety focus was for them and partnered with them to raise awareness on this crucial summer message.”

Rips present a huge risk for beach-goers in New Zealand. In the last ten years 51 fatalities have been linked to rips and almost 700 non-fatal rip rescues have occurred each year.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s 5,000 volunteers patrol our beaches for more than 230,000 hours each year and 80 percent of rescues they carry out involve swimmers caught in rip currents.

“Many people think when they are caught in a rip that they’re strong enough to out swim it, but not even an Olympic swimmer can beat a rip,” says Paul Dalton, SLSNZ CEO.

“Rip currents will quickly carry you away from the shore and it will be frightening, but if you follow the three R’s you will be in the best possible position to get to safety.

“SLSNZ is thrilled to work with TSB to better educate New Zealanders around rip currents and we’re confident this catchy and easy to remember message will have a real impact.”

With summers in New Zealand getting hotter and the beaches more packed with people there has never been a better time to create more awareness around rip safety.

“TSB is a New Zealand bank which cares about people, so helping New Zealanders stay rip safe this summer is a cause everyone in our organisation is proud to get behind,” says Ms Cooper.

“I’m calling on all New Zealanders to spread ‘the three R’s’ safety education message: Relax, raise and ride. Get everyone talking about rip safety, test your whanau’s knowledge regularly and make sure you remind anyone of the catchy phrase before they enter the water.

“We here at TSB will certainly be teaching ‘the three R’s’ to everyone we can.”

TSB entered into a partnership with Surf Life Saving New Zealand in 2016 and is proud to support the volunteers serving between the flags at Aotearoa beaches.

For more information, please contact:

Alana McIsaac, Media & Communications Manager
Phone 027 515 7157
Email media@surflifesaving.org.nz