Base Showcase: Station 16 (Strandfontein)

In the 14th in a series of stories on NSRI bases around the country, we chat to a few crew members at Station 16 (Strandfontein) to find out more about the base and its family of volunteers.

Volunteering has always been in Station 16 Commander Nicky Whitehead’s blood: she grew up doing volunteer work over weekends and holidays at rehab centres and hospitals, so when she moved from Pretoria to the coast in 2015, she naturally began hunting for a volunteer organisation that would allow her to give back to her community.

The NSRI fit the bill, welcomed her into the fold, and she’s never looked back. “I grew up in the Free State and Gauteng, so lifesaving was never part of the outdoor activities I pursued, but I was keen to try something different and learn new skills.”

Nicky worked her way up the ranks, and in June this year, her crew voted her Station Commander, a role she has embraced with passion, devotion, and above all, a desire to save lives and serve her crew: “My current vision for the station is that every crew member is able to become the best version of themselves. The potential of my crew is incredible, they just need a platform where they can effectively develop, and I aim to provide that.”

For Nicky and her crew, the benchmark of a successful base is simple: efficient rescues, lives saved. As she is relatively new to her post, her first order of business has been to identify areas for improvement. “Not having been in this role for that long, I am sure challenges will still come my way, but for now, we take it one day at a time.”

Station 16 was established in 1970, with Abraham Poole as the first Station Commander. Although Mr Poole has passed away, the station is still very close to the Poole family and the traditions they started 52 years ago: a culture of discipline and respect, as well as a close relationship cultivated with the fisherman in the area, who serve as NSRI Coastwatchers, night and day.

Around 24 operational crew are on call all week long, but Sundays are reserved for active duty, which is when boats are checked, general maintenance is carried out, and the training of trainees, crew, Trainee Coxswains, Coxswains and Shore Controllers takes place. At the heart of it all, is a shared commitment to saving lives and developing crew members’ leadership and rescue skills.

Something all NSRI crew and station commanders will tell you is that the people who make up the organisation truly care about each other, and at the same time, hold each other to the highest standards. Station 16 is no exception. “I always wanted to join the military or navy, as the discipline appealed to me, but it didn’t work out that way and so, when I saw an ad for the NSRI in a newspaper, I was naturally drawn to it,” says Station 16 Deputy Commander Arno Constance, who joined the Strandfontein crew in 2014, under then-statcom Mario Fredericks. “Before I knew it, I was met by an amazing complement of crew and trainee peers that blew my mind with their dedication. Today, I can say we make one heck of a station. As a Class 4 Coxswain and recently-appointed Deputy Statcom, I salute the NSRI, its legends, both living and lost, as well as the seniors, crew and trainee crew of Station 16.”

Constance’s co-deputy commander, Robin Fortuin, joined Station 16 in 2009 at the tender age of 18, also seeking out the structure and discipline provided by the organisation. “I needed it to stay on the right path and not turn to the bad elements that a man faces in the Cape Flats. In many ways, the NSRI saved me,” she says. Indeed, Fortuin is now a law-enforcement officer based in one of the most dangerous areas of Cape Town, whose full-time job involves battling those ‘bad elements’.

“I’ve seen this station come a long way. It’s a well-rounded, key station. Others come to us for surf training and the unique physical training we are known for. We have a family bond that goes way beyond just rescues – we are there for each other 24/7,” Robin says.

Likewise, Nicky is full of obvious pride in her crew, the NSRI as a whole, and the opportunities it has afforded her. “Volunteering for the NSRI has taught me that there are still good people, that there are still people that care, and there are still people out there that would risk their lives to save yours in a heartbeat. Leadership has many facets and every single individual manages a base in a different way. The NSRI gives you the opportunity to establish your leadership style with guidance and support as needed. If you cannot serve, you cannot lead. It is not about you, it is about saving lives and enabling your crew to do so as efficiently as possible.”