MEDIA RELEASE
November 1, 2016
SLSNZ and Emsisoft team up for ultimate surf protection
NZ owned and operated software company supports new SLSNZ rips and currents study taking online prevention to the open
water.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) and Emsisoft, a global Antivirus Software Company operating from New Zealand, are
proud to announce an exciting new partnership project that will map currents and rips around key New Zealand beaches
this summer.
The project will use ‘drifters’ to plot GPS data and drones to accurately map the rip currents and their behaviours.
This will measure the physical layout of the (topographic) headland rip current across a range of different swell, tidal
and wind conditions during a six week period on selected beaches.
Rips are one of the biggest problems along New Zealand’s coastline and last year alone, seven people drowned as the
result of a rip. Every year, lifeguards undertake an average of 1,200 rescues and around 85% of those are the result of
rips.
SLSNZ national lifesaving manager Allan Mundy says up until now, data on currents has been mapped from 500m off-shore.
The project, made possible with the support of Emsisoft, will provide more accurate data which will lead to a better
understanding of the workings of rip currents at different locations.
“If someone should get swept away in a rip, having the knowledge and understanding of the currents in that particular
location will help narrow down the search area,” he says.
Mr Mundy says the data collection will involve a collaboration of SLSNZ lifeguards and Coastguard New Zealand personnel
to carry out the deployment and retrieval of the GPS drifters, which can easily replicate a swimmer within a rip current
due to their weight and drifting nature.
“Half of the drifters will be modified so they will sink below the water’s surface to mimic how a body behaves once it
becomes submerged after a drowning. This data will be priceless as it will help searchers better identify where to look
for lost persons in the benthic current (the current on the bottom of the sea floor) which we don’t currently have data
on, he says.
“Dyes and similar drifters used in the past have only been observed within surface currents which often flow in very
different directions to the currents on the sea floor.”
The information gathered through the project will be added to a database which will assist in future current predictions
during lost person’s searches and the method will be used to set a data standard for future research on additional sites
around the country.
“It’s a really good use of technology that will help provide valuable data and benefit many different search and rescue
operations, helping to lead searchers to patients much quicker,” Mundy says.
A trial run of the project will take place at Piha Beach on Auckland’s West Coast between November 15-18. Media are
invited to attend the trial on request.
Emsisoft, a New Zealand-based company for Windows and Android security software with a global focus, provides
anti-malware solutions for the home and business user. Online surf protection is at the core of their business. With the
recently launched partnership with SLSNZ, their business will now also protect the safety of those in the water.
Christian Mairoll, CEO of Emsisoft says “prevention has always been our core philosophy at Emsisoft. Our shared belief
in quality online surf protection led to the partnership with Surf Life Saving New Zealand- we share the same values and
goals to offer efficient and life-saving protection. We are proud and happy to be able to support such life saving
research.”
For more information about Surf Life Saving New Zealand visit www.surflifesaving.org.nz or for Emsisoft visit
https://www.emsisoft.com
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