NSRI set for re-launch after lightning damage

PLETTENBERG Bay¡®s National Sea Rescue Institute station should be up and running by this afternoon following a lightning strike that knocked out its communications system.

NSRI station commander Ray Farnham spent the day yesterday fixing and testing equipment after finally receiving all the parts.

¡°We will be getting a hydraulic lift to repair damage to our aerials and should be done by the afternoon. It might be a bit messy, but I need to get some sort of communication medium up for the holiday season.¡±

He said new starters had been put into the winch and the electric doors and alarm system would be repaired on Monday.

The lightning strike last weekend caused R40 000 in damages and left the station with only its emergency and national lines functioning.

The station¡®s boats were not affected by the strike, but the computers, radios and winches were damaged.

The rescue team converged on Plettenberg Bay¡®s Central Beach yesterday to test some of the newly repaired equipment during a routine drill.

¡°We used our usual drill time to test all the equipment and make sure it¡®s working.¡±