Safety signs and purpose-built public rescue equipment are being rolled out at several Great Barrier Island beaches following a high-profile water emergency earlier this year and a history of near-misses.
Earlier this year, Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) assessed Medlands, Kaitoke, and Awana to identify specific swimming hazards. Following those assessments, customized signage and Public Rescue Equipment (PRE)—specifically high-visibility rescue buoys—will be installed to help bystanders safely assist swimmers in distress.
The initiative was spearheaded in part by Senior Constable Andrew Osborne. Drawing on his previous overseas posting in Pitcairn, Osborne recognized that remote locations like The Barrier share a critical vulnerability: emergency rescue resources are inherently limited by isolation. In Pitcairn, the introduction of similar rescue devices directly saved lives.
“They are particularly good in situations where rescuers don’t have a surfboard or the like to help assist people back to shore,” Osborne said.
The installation comes on the heels of a serious incident earlier this year when a visiting swimmer got into danger and required immediate assistance from locals. Osborne hopes the new equipment will mitigate those risks before emergency services are required.
“There’s going to be some signage coming to the beach about water safety, some of the beaches on the island,” Osborne noted. “This has come about because of some near drownings and drownings on the beach. And we just want people to stay safe in the water.”
Bystander rescues are common on unpatrolled beaches, but they carry massive risks. According to SLSNZ research, 54 percent of public water rescues in New Zealand are conducted without a flotation device, which is the single biggest risk factor for a fatal bystander rescue. The ongoing national rollout of PRE units across more than 150 New Zealand coastal locations has already been credited with multiple successful rescues by allowing bystanders to stabilize swimmers without getting pulled under themselves.
For locals who frequent the surf, the equipment is a vital addition. Kelly, a local surfer and third-generation island resident, has firsthand experience with the unpredictable local conditions.
“I think it’s fantastic for the island,” Kelly said. “I’ve seen and partaken in some life and death rescues on the beach. There’s a lot of dangers out there. It looks beautiful, but it’s not always beautiful. Hopefully, with the signs and rescue equipment that’s going to go in, that’s going to help prevent having to save someone’s life.”
Because surf dynamics and rip currents vary significantly across the coastline, the new hazard signage will be specifically tailored to the localized risks identified at Medlands, Kaitoke, and Awana.
