World Drowning Prevention Day 2026

Join the NSRI at the V&A Waterfront for World Drowning Prevention Day.

On 25 July 2026, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) invites the public to an interactive presentation at the V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre in celebration of World Drowning Prevention Day. Three free, hour-long sessions will run throughout the day, each combining live presentations with music and public interaction between sessions.

Each session brings NSRI's lifesaving work to life. Learn about rescue stations around South Africa, meet the volunteer rescue crew, coxswains and shore crew who respond to emergencies, and see the equipment and personal protective equipment used on the water. Short videos showcase real rescue operations, rescue boats and helicopter rescues, showing how ordinary people become highly trained volunteers who save lives.

The programme also covers water safety education, including hazards on beaches, rivers and dams, and what to do if caught in a rip current. There will be a live Pink Rescue Buoy demonstration, showing how these buoys are used and how to call 112 in an emergency, with an audience volunteer invited to take part.

A hands-only CPR demonstration follows, covering the "Triple H's" (hazards, hello, help), with children and adults invited to practice on a CPR manikin in a fun, interactive setting.

Each session closes with a quiz, an NSRI prize for the correct answer, and a reminder of the four water safety rules: learn to swim, never swim alone, wear a lifejacket when appropriate, and call for help immediately in an emergency.

Come along to learn practical, lifesaving skills, meet NSRI volunteers, and help spread the message: together, we can prevent drowning and save lives.