Last summer, rescue equipment installed at surf lifesaving clubs around New Zealand helped save lives. Here are some of those stories.
Public Rescue Equipment (PRE)
Flotation devices such as rescue buoys and life rings that provide buoyancy to a person in distress. When installed at coastlines, lakes, and harbours, PRE enables members of the public to respond to water emergencies before emergency services arrive. PRE is designed for anyone to use with minimal training and without risking the rescuer's life. Proper use can significantly reduce drowning incidents, especially at unpatrolled beaches and waterways.
Rescue buoys are located at beach-type environments, including surf lifesaving clubs, lakes, and coastal locations where throwing a device to reach someone may not be possible.
- Call 111 - ask for Police. Direct a bystander to make this call so you can act in turn.
- Assess conditions. Rescuing from land is always the best option. Only enter the water as a last resort.
- Lift the buoy off the cradle at the PRE station.
- Undo the velcro from the sash and put the sash over your shoulder so it sits diagonally across your chest.
- Alert others if possible before entering the water with the buoy.
- Keep the buoy between you and the person in distress at all times. Guide them back to safety.
Important: if you cannot swim, do NOT use a rescue buoy or enter the water. If someone is in distress in the water and there are no lifeguards on site.
Life rings and throw bags are generally found at inland waterways, harbours, and rocky coastal environments - locations where throwing the equipment to the person is the primary rescue method.
- Call 111 - ask for Police.
- Pick up the life ring. Keep hold of the end of the rope.
- Throw the ring as close as possible to the person. Tell them to hold on.
- Gently pull them to shore when it is safe to do so. If you miss, pull back and try again.
- Do not enter moving water. Stay calm and reassure the person until help arrives.
For a throw bag: keep hold of the end of the line, throw the bag to the person, and pull gently to shore. To reset after use, place the rope over your shoulder and gently feed it back into the bottom of the bag.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand has installed PRE units, including rescue buoys, at 72 of our surf lifesaving clubs nationwide. These are available to the community at all times, including when the beach is unpatrolled outside the summer patrol season.
In collaboration with Drowning Prevention Aotearoa (DPA), Surf Life Saving is also supporting the installation of PRE units at many more locations around the country, particularly at unpatrolled parts of our coastline and at inland waterways. We encourage communities to consider installing PRE at high-risk locations near them.
Thank you to ACC and Aon for funding PRE installation at SLSNZ clubs.
Thank you to DPA for your ongoing collaboration.
See all our clubs listed here.
14%
Of New Zealand adults have rescued someone from the water
54%
Of rescues were conducted with no flotation device at all - the single biggest risk factor for a fatal bystander rescue
43%
Of those rescues occurred at a beach
58%
Of rescues happened at an unpatrolled beach
103
Preventable bystander rescuer fatalities in New Zealand between 1980 and 2024
WHY IS PRE NEEDED?
Every year, bystanders step in to rescue others in trouble at New Zealand's coastal and inland waterways. These situations are highly emotive and can be fatal when the rescuer gets into difficulty themselves.
Between 1980 and 2024, 103 preventable bystander rescuer fatalities occurred in New Zealand. Research consistently shows that the single biggest contributing factor is the absence of a flotation device.
Most fatal drownings occur at unpatrolled locations, such as rivers, lakes, and unguarded coastlines, where bystanders are often the only people able to respond. Drowning can occur within 60 seconds, before emergency services can arrive. PRE gives bystanders an effective way to help without entering the water.
New Zealand's drowning rate is too high, and we all need to play our part in saving lives in and around the water.
DOES YOUR COMMUNITY NEED PRE?
If you know of a high-risk coastal location without public rescue equipment, we'd love to hear from you. We can provide all the information and pricing needed to support the installation of a PRE unit in your community.
Contact us: PREorder@surflifesaving.org.nz
Download our guide for more information on PRE types, installation, and correct use:
Guide to PRE for New Zealand Coastlines
In partnership with Drowning Prevention Aotearoa SLSNZ, DPA is working together through Operation Flotation to install PRE and water safety signage at coastal and inland locations across New Zealand.
Thank you to ACC, Aon, and all supporting councils and land managers for making this possible.
