IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i16p6573-d1216395.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring Flood Response Challenges, Training Needs, and the Impact of Online Flood Training for Lifeguards and Water Safety Professionals in South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Amy E. Peden

    (School of Population Health, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
    College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia)

  • Adrian Mayhew

    (Surf Life Saving Great Britain, Buckland House, Park 5, Harrier Way, Sowton, Exeter EX2 7HU, UK
    International Life Saving Federation—Rescue Commission, 3010 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Shayne D. Baker

    (International Life Saving Federation—Rescue Commission, 3010 Leuven, Belgium
    School of Education, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia)

  • Mziwoxolo Mayedwa

    (Department of Information Systems, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa
    Drowning Prevention Committee, Lifesaving South Africa, Durban 4001, South Africa)

  • Colleen J. Saunders

    (Drowning Prevention Committee, Lifesaving South Africa, Durban 4001, South Africa
    Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa)

Abstract

Flooding is a significant cause of human and economic loss in the African region, including in South Africa. Flood mitigation and response in South Africa is challenging due to a range of environmental, infrastructure, and policy constraints. Lifeguards represent a potential additional workforce to bolster flood mitigation and response. This study aimed to explore the feasibility and acceptability of online flood safety training for water safety professionals in South Africa, as well as assess the current flood response capacity and future needs of this group. Online surveys were completed by a convenience sample of South African water safety professionals (including lifeguards) pre-and post a series of four online flood training workshops. Free text responses were thematically coded and flood knowledge was compared between the pre-and post-workshop survey respondents. Sixty-eight responses were analysed (64.7% pre-workshop phase; 63.2% male, 29.4% aged 50–59 years). A range of challenges in flood mitigation and response were identified including equipment, training, and a lack of government support. However, positives were also identified including respondents’ willingness to assist in flood emergencies and good cooperation with neighbouring countries and across the region. Opportunities for better cross-municipal and government communication were discussed. In times of crisis, or in resource poor settings, water safety professionals can bolster traditional flood mitigation and response capacity. Opportunities exist to harness this willingness, but also improve cross-governmental and municipal knowledge sharing to improve future flood mitigation and response efforts in South Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Amy E. Peden & Adrian Mayhew & Shayne D. Baker & Mziwoxolo Mayedwa & Colleen J. Saunders, 2023. "Exploring Flood Response Challenges, Training Needs, and the Impact of Online Flood Training for Lifeguards and Water Safety Professionals in South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(16), pages 1-13, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:16:p:6573-:d:1216395
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/16/6573/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/16/6573/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gina Ziervogel & Mark New & Emma Archer van Garderen & Guy Midgley & Anna Taylor & Ralph Hamann & Sabine Stuart‐Hill & Jonny Myers & Michele Warburton, 2014. "Climate change impacts and adaptation in South Africa," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 5(5), pages 605-620, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sindisiwe Nyide & Mulala Danny Simatele & Stefan Grab & Richard Kwame Adom, 2023. "Assessment of the Dynamics towards Effective and Efficient Post-Flood Disaster Adaptive Capacity and Resilience in South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-25, August.
    2. Dennis Junior Choruma & Frank Chukwuzuoke Akamagwuna & Nelson Oghenekaro Odume, 2022. "Simulating the Impacts of Climate Change on Maize Yields Using EPIC: A Case Study in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-24, May.
    3. Clark, V. Ralph & Vidal, João de Deus & Grundy, Isla M. & Fakarayi, Togarasei & Childes, Susan L. & Barker, Nigel P. & Linder, H. Peter, 2019. "Bridging the divide between intuitive social-ecological value and sustainability in the Manica Highlands of southern Africa (Zimbabwe-Mozambique)," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    4. Agnieszka Mazurek-Czarnecka & Ksymena Rosiek & Marcin Salamaga & Krzysztof Wąsowicz & Renata Żaba-Nieroda, 2022. "Study on Support Mechanisms for Renewable Energy Sources in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-38, June.
    5. Myo Myo Khine & Uma Langkulsen, 2023. "The Implications of Climate Change on Health among Vulnerable Populations in South Africa: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-19, February.
    6. Thinda, K.T. & Ogundeji, A.A. & Belle, J.A. & Ojo, T.O., 2020. "Understanding the adoption of climate change adaptation strategies among smallholder farmers: Evidence from land reform beneficiaries in South Africa," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    7. Nicholas Ngepah & Regina Conselho Mwiinga, 2022. "The Impact of Climate Change on Gender Inequality in the Labour Market: A Case Study of South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-28, October.
    8. Emmanuel Lekakis & Athanasios Zaikos & Alexios Polychronidis & Christos Efthimiou & Ioannis Pourikas & Theano Mamouka, 2022. "Evaluation of Different Modelling Techniques with Fusion of Satellite, Soil and Agro-Meteorological Data for the Assessment of Durum Wheat Yield under a Large Scale Application," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:16:p:6573-:d:1216395. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.