Forbidden activities put rescuers at risk

PHOTO: CHRISTINE O’CONNOR
PHOTO: CHRISTINE O’CONNOR
The lockdown message seems not to be getting through to some people.

About 20 surfers were out on the waves at St Clair Beach, in Dunedin, on Saturday, despite pleas from Coastguard New Zealand to stay off the water.

Coastguard Dunedin president John Campbell said the blatant flouting of the rules was disappointing.

If someone got into trouble or needed rescuing, volunteers would have to break isolation to go and help them.

That put rescuers and their families at risk, he said.

The message from the Unite against Covid-19 website yesterday was clear: "Stay home. Save lives.

"Stop the movement: don’t travel to and from baches or second homes, avoid driving out of your neighbourhood and keep exercise local by staying close to home.

"Help our emergency services by only doing safe activities.

"Avoid swimming, surfing, hunting or tramping.

"Avoid public spaces and don’t touch surfaces others may have touched such as park benches or playgrounds."

Comments

Yeah, because staying indoors, staring into pulsed blue light, drinking your home delivery dry, and avoiding the sun is a surefire way to beat this. Mental health issues, domestic violence, and alcohol harm haven't been what the government has been trying to combat for the last decade anyway. And our ED and ambo service are never inundated (to a majority) with the fallout of such. Two surfing incidents per year is too high a risk for health benefits and social distance it provides. #clownworld

Imagine how much safer it is to ride a motorcycle right now! Self isolation in your helmet! ....meanwhile, homeowners will be painting their roofs without scaffolding, climbing insecure laddrs clearing the guttering. Take a look at the ACC stats for gardening and DIY. even cycling carries a high degree of risk. We can police the motorcyclists, the cyclists, the surfers, and in that way reduce the risk profiles that can put pressure on our health system when we need them the most. And you're right Dissenter', the alcohol harm and domestic violence is/always at epidemic proportions, yet gets put under the blanket. But then again, many can enjoy a beer/wine after a days work and create no issues what so ever. I guess, as a society, we can really only look to ourselves, however, in the face of this crisis, we can only hope we all do the right thing. And yes, right now, I would love to head down for a surf! I'll continue scraping paint off the weatherboards instead. (I have correctly secured the ladder by the way).

Should we take pictures of people not following the rules and post them on social media?
People don't realise how serious this is, they are putting lives at risk.

If they get into trouble don't rescue them, it's then at their own risk.

Close off the beach access roads for starters, especially John Wilson Drive (no need AT ALL to go up there, as you're not supposed to be driving anywhere other than essential places).
And Police, do more regular patrols, or flyer drops for local residents asking them to call Police if they see anyone surfing.

 

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