Rescue swimmer recognised for her ‘labour of love’
The seasoned helicopter rescue swimmer overhauled the NSRI's course training material which she based on worldwide rescue swimmer best practise protocols
ALL it took was a quick helicopter ride in the late nineties for Kim Germishuys, hoist operator on the Marine Pilot Service helicopter in Richards Bay to get hooked on aviation.
After managing to combine her two passions – rescue swimming and aviation – Kim joined the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in 2005.
Now an integral part of the organisation, Kim has been instrumental in setting the foundations for NSRI training courses and last year became the first woman – and first South African – to receive her wings from the European Rescue Swimmers Association.
After joining the NSRI’s Melkbosstrand station in Cape Town in 2005, Kim later joined the Air Sea Rescue Unit (ASR) as a helicopter rescue swimmer.
‘I was essentially serving two stations, as my work in the ASR unit was aside from my duties to the boat station at which I was stationed,’ said Kim.
‘I love helping others, and I also love the water and being out at sea.
‘Sea rescue and life guarding were the best ways to enjoy my two passions, and my love for aviation rescue and safety was a natural progression for me.’
After working her way up to a NSRI sea rescue swimmer, Kim was in 2013 put forward as training officer for the ASR in Cape Town, and was subsequently asked to review NSRI training materials to be implemented countrywide.
‘This would ensure all NSRI training courses across the country were universal and that everybody trained by the NSRI was trained to the same standards,’ she said.
At the NSRI’s recent 50th anniversary celebrations, Kim received a letter of appreciation for her contribution to the creation and implementation of the rescue swimmer training course material for the ASR Unit, Lifesaving SA (LSA) and the NSRI.
‘Your commitment and dedication has contributed to establishing more effective NSRI rescue swimmer training protocols for all these organisations,’ said NSRI Chief Executive, Dr Cleeve Robertson.
He said since joining the NSRI, Kim has been an active and motivated crew member who took her role as training officer seriously, which led her to set about motivating a more structured training programme for rescue swimmers on both the ASR rescue swimmer and AMS rapid response programmes.
In what was termed a ‘labour of love’ by Robertson, Kim spent hours consulting with peers to structure a course that would serve as a training foundation for both NSRI and LSA.
Kim based the new training materials on worldwide rescue swimmer best practise protocols, drawing on the expertise of organisations such as the US Coastguard.
‘The resulting training documents are highly respected and have been implemented for AMS rapid response rescue swimmers since 2015 and NSRI helicopter rescue swimmers since March,’ said Robertson.
‘Your work also resulted in many existing procedures being reviewed and amended for the benefit of the programme.’
A born and bred Capetonian, Kim has been in Richards Bay for eight months and said her relocation for the hoist operator job was the best decision she has ever made.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
WhatsApp – 072 069 4169
Instagram – zululand_observer
