Surf Life Saving ‘overwhelmed’ with donations to replace contaminated gear

Scores of lifeguards saved hundreds of people but ruined their personal wetsuits in Cyclone Gabrielle's contaminated floodwaters.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) says it’s “overwhelmed” by generous donations to replace equipment contaminated during its response to Cyclone Gabrielle.

When the cyclone struck, 80 surf lifeguards from various regions responded when the state of emergency was declared.

Scores saved hundreds of people but ruined their personal wetsuits in the contaminated floodwaters in Hawke’s Bay, as well as in the Auckland floods in January.

Working alongside Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz), they conducted rescues and provided assistance to those in need. They worked in some of the most severely impacted areas, such as Eskdale and Bayview, where they successfully rescued over 200 individuals and aided more people and pets to get to safety.

Last week, national search and rescue manager Allan Mundy told RNZ the organisation had been told that his teams should not have responded to the calls for help if they didn’t have the appropriate equipment for the job.

”Essentially, this request asks our trained surf lifeguards to choose between saying no to probable drownings or potentially exposing themselves to contamination.”

However, since then numerous donations have eased the funding squeeze, including $30,000 from the Hawke’s Bay Foundation.

Hawke’s Bay search and rescue co-ordinator Jess Bennett said: “We have been truly overwhelmed by the support from the community, especially from those who are themselves still recovering from the devastating effects of Cyclone Gabrielle. We can’t thank the public enough for their incredible generosity.”

Considering the increased frequency and severity of flooding events like Cyclone Gabrielle, SLSNZ is collaborating with its search and rescue sector partners to ensure its volunteers have undergone appropriate training and are well-equipped with the necessary resources, such as fit-for-purpose wetsuits, to effectively respond to emergencies.

Bennett said she wanted to assure the public that surf lifeguards won’t be “financially burdened”.

SLSNZ acting chief executive Chris Emmett said: “We are working alongside our partners to implement a comprehensive plan that supports our volunteers around out-of-pocket expenses as a result of their emergency response efforts. We are making good progress, and in the meantime, while we wait for the plan to be formalised, our teams are well-supported and will continue to protect the communities they love.”