NSRI Swift Water Rescue Crews Join Major Flood Relief Effort in Wolseley and Gouda

NSRI Melkbosstrand and NSRI Headquarters station 1, swift water rescue crews, rescue craft and rescue equipment, were activated in cooperation with Overberg DRM (Disaster Risk Management) to assist DRM, the SA Police Services, Fire and Rescue Services, Provincial Traffic Services, WC Government Health EMS rescue squads and ambulances, Municipal authorities and Community Services, who were engaged in rescue operations and relocating persons trapped and displaced by flooding in the Wolseley, Gouda and surrounding areas, from heavy rainfall in the Western Cape.

The NSRI Headquarters station 1 team were dispatched to Wolseley while NSRI Melkbosstrand were dispatched to Gouda.

NSRI rescue vehicles, NSRI rescue craft (CROCS - small floating rescue craft), rescue equipment and swift water rescue swimmers, were activated, with the NSRI Headquarters swift water rescue team arriving first - meeting up with operations controllers at the Wolseley Police Station.

Prior to NSRI arriving on the scene multiple persons and animals had been assisted by local Police and the emergency services however there remained multiple areas, scattered, where there remained multiple persons and animals trapped by flood waters.

Our NSRI Headquarters crew and equipment were initially dispatched together to areas where it was reported persons were trapped. The NSRI Headquarters team met up with Police and an EMS rescue squad at a flooded bridge where NSRI then split into 2 teams to carry out operations assisting Police and the emergency services at incidents over a number of areas divided by flood waters, in operations hampered by fast flowing water, deep and shallower areas, debris causing risk in flowing water, and at times barely accessible terrain, downed fencing, downed trees and downed structures.

One team assisted with 2 persons trapped in a tree (reportedly trapped in the tree since 6a.m.) and they were rescued at around 4p.m. as well as 11 persons rescued from flooded homes and brought to safety in relays with NSRI swift water rescue swimmers and the rescue CROCS. in cooperation with the emergency services.

One NSRI team had dispatched along the Boointjies River where 18 persons and 3 dogs - 2 families trapped in homes - they were brought to safety from their flooded homes.

In total 31 persons were rescued (in operations carried by NSRI in cooperation with Police and the emergency services) in the Wolseley area, during the daylight hours, in a number of incidents.

At around 19h00 the NSRI Headquarters swift water rescue team, having completed assisting in operations in Wolseley, had then departed the Wolseley area to locate cell signal and once in a cell signal area they were diverted by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) to Gouda and initiated rescue operations assisting Police and the emergency services.

They were joined by the NSRI Melkbosstrand team where the NSRI Headquarters and NSRI Melkbosstrand teams were split into 2 teams to assist Police and the emergency services at further incidents at flooded areas extending into farmlands into the night.

Operations were directed by EMS Metro Rescue from the Community Centre joint operations command, in cooperation with the local ward councillor, DRM, Fire and Rescue Services, Police, Municipal Authorities and Community Services.

From then on, during the night, the NSRI swift water rescue teams assisted Police and the emergency services in multiple incidents using the rescue CROCS.

Our NSRI CROCS and swift water rescue swimmers were put to good use by the emergency services rescue coordinators.

During operations, throughout the day and into the night, multiple cases of families including babies, children, adults, the elderly and frail, and domestic animals were ferried, in relays, from homes, roofs of homes, and high lying areas near to homes in a coordinated operation involving all services.

During operations, throughout the day and into the night, in some cases there were persons who opted not to be moved. Conditions had slowly started to improve during the night and waters were subsiding in places.

Thoughts and care are with those affected by the flooding.

Deep appreciation and commendations are extended to the multi-agency services for the cooperation working together in coordinated joint operations during these rescue operations.

The NSRI teams departed the area at midnight after it was deemed safe by authorities and all rescues and relocations had been successfully completed.