2024 Winner of the IMRF Lifetime Achievement in the Maritime Search and Rescue Sector

Dr Cleeve Robertson has been announced as the 2024 winner of the International Maritime Rescue Federation’s Lifetime Achievement in the Maritime Search and Rescue sector:

Former NSRI CEO, Dr Cleeve Robertson has been announced as the 2024 winner of the International Maritime Rescue Federation’sLifetime Achievement in the Maritime SAR Sector.

Cleeve has been recognised for his work as Chief Executive Officer of the NSRI from 2013 to his retirement at the end of October 2024 and for his leadership in the Maritime Search and Rescue sector for many years.

“The NSRI has become a strategic national rescue service in South Africa and it’s good to be recognised by international peers,” said Cleeve.

“This award recognises the contribution of thousands of volunteers who live service, search and rescue and saving lives every day.”

“I am humbled to be amongst such committed volunteers and honoured by this award. Thank you,” he said.

This is the second time that an NSRI member has received this award, the first being in 2021 when Pat van Eyssen, an NSRI SAR coxswain who has more than 50 years of operational service without a break was given the award.

“Cleeve’s dedication as medical advisor and leader has been in inspiration to both NSRI volunteers and the broader rescue community. We are thrilled that Cleeve has won the IMRF Vladimir Maksimov Lifetime Achievement Award that recognises outstanding service to SAR by an individual or organisation,” said NSRI CEO Mike Vonk.

Dr Robertson has spent his entire career caring for sick or injured people in their hour of need and has spent much of his free time out on the water or underwater.

After graduating from UCT in 1983, he worked at Groote Schuur Hospital, Red Cross Children’s Hospital, Somerset Hospital, and the South African Military Health Services. In 1990, he began a journey of 23 years in Emergency Medical Services.

He served as the Honorary National Medical Advisor for the National Sea Rescue Institute since 2003 and successfully raised funding for R1.7m worth of medical equipment for NSRI bases.

Dr Robertson’s leadership of the NSRI began in 2013, a pivotal moment for the organisation. Under his leadership, the NSRI transformed from a modest operation into a formidable force in maritime rescue. When he started, the NSRI had 25 staff members and about 900 volunteers. Today, it boasts over 1,300 volunteers and 131 service locations nationwide, including seasonal lifeguarded beaches.
Dr Robertson proactively expanded the Sea Rescue bases, stations, the fleet, and the number of volunteers, significantly increasing the NSRI’s capacity to save lives.

Because over 90% of South Africa’s fatal drownings happen in freshwater inland, he started the NSRI’s Drowning Prevention department with the brief to focus on these drownings. At first, the department concentrated on teaching water safety to children in the safety of their classrooms, and soon reached over 300,000 children a year. Now, eleven years later, the water safety instructors reach a million children a year with essential water safety messages, who to call for help and how to do CPR.

Under Cleeve’s leadership, the department now also teaches Survival Swimming and has innovative swimming pools built inside shipping containers – Survival Swimming Centres; Beach Safety Cameras and bystander rescue equipment (Pink Rescue Buoys), which have been used to rescue almost 200 people that we know of who were in danger of drowning.

This strategic shift to include prevention within the NSRI structures has had a profound impact, potentially saving countless lives by preventing accidents before they occur.

Dr Robertson’s strategic vision ensured that the NSRI was involved in proactive drowning prevention as well as rescue and was always well-prepared and equipped to save lives.

One of Dr Robertson’s most notable achievements is the financial stability he brought to the NSRI. He believes that the organisation’s independence is crucial to its success.

This economic independence allows the NSRI to direct resources where needed without external interference, ensuring we can prioritise our strategies and respond swiftly and effectively to emergencies without political interference.

Dr Robertson has been directly involved in numerous rescues throughout his tenure, highlighting his hands-on approach and expertise in emergency medicine. One particularly harrowing event was the Miroshga incident in 2012. Three women were trapped under an overturned catamaran off the coast of Hout Bay in freezing, turbulent waters.

It was a complex and dangerous situation, but the rescue teams’ coordination, bravery, and skill turned a tragedy into a triumph and all three women were rescued.

The NSRI community and the countless individuals whose lives have been touched by Dr Robertson’s work extend heartfelt gratitude for his service.

His leadership, dedication, and vision have saved many lives and built an enduring legacy that will continue to protect and serve South Africans for generations.

Dr Robertson’s story is one of resilience, innovation, and compassion. As he transitions into the next chapter of his life with his retirement from the NSRI in October 2024, the impact of his contributions to NSRI and emergency services remains a beacon of inspiration and hope to us all.