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SU partnership with NSRI deepens

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18 April 2025

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and the Stellenbosch University’s (SU) strengthened their collaboration.

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The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) announced the strengthening of its partnership with Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Division of Emergency Medicine following a joint presentation at the Stellenbosch University Emergency Medicine Symposium (SUEM) last Thursday (10 April). The collaboration was first formalised last year through a Memorandum of Understanding. At the SUEM, the NSRI’s rescue operations director, Brett Ayres, and SU lecturer and medical specialist, Dr Heinri Zaayman, shared more about the vision that underpins their work: building safer communities through research, education, and emergency medical excellence. The collaboration addresses a pressing need, as drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death in South Africa, particularly among children and youth. The partnership focuses on four key pillars: research through joint studies; education and training that integrates drowning prevention into emergency medicine curricula; medical oversight through the appointment of an emergency medicine specialist to guide NSRI protocol and training; and community outreach. “This relationship will allow the NSRI to sharpen our focus and align our strategies more closely with evidence-based practices,” explained Ayres. “It’s a big step forward in achieving our mission: preserving life and livelihoods on and around South African waters through education, drowning prevention, and rescue.” At the announcement last week (from left) are Prof Sa’ad Lahri, head of the division of Emergency Medicine at SU, Dr Heinri Zaayman (SU Emergency Medicine), Brett Ayres (NSRI) and Daniël van Hoving (SU Emergency Medicine). Photo: Brandon van Reenen/NSRI

Categorised:Community

Tagged:Local News, Stellenbosch University

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