Joanna Prendergast, treasurer of Jamaica Search and Rescue (JASAR), performs the cardiopulmonary resuscitation on chairman of JASAR, Robert Scott, during a practice session at the Royal Yacht Club in St Andrew recently. JASAR is having a recruitment drive at the Scouts Association of Jamaica headquarters, Camp Road, Kingston, tomorrow, at 6 p.m., to train individuals in effective search-and-rescue measures at sea.

Everton Thompson took up fishing six years ago and, like many fishermen around him, was indifferent to the use of a life jacket.

He, however, reconsidered this position when the voluntary group Jamaica Search and Rescue (JASAR) visited his fishing village at Cow Bay in Yallahs, St Thomas, in 2008 and encouraged himself and others to use the device.

It was advice that would change his life. On January 5 of this year, he and three other fishermen went out to sea at 6:00 in the evening. About a mile and a half off the shore they got into difficulties.

"The boat capsize and the captain, he wasn't a good swimmer, so we put him on top of the boat. Another guy in the boat who say him a fish chuck off inna the water, laugh after we and say him a swim lef' we a shore, but me see him go down and don't come back," he said.

Thompson said he was trying to guide the boat with the other man on top to shore, but could not manage after a while, as the seas were very rough. He said he had to try to manoeuvre for himself, with the life jacket being essential in that regard.

"I had to swim from six to ten and it was the life jacket along with God that saved my life. It was a terrible, terrible thing, the sea was above 13 metres and, if it wasn't for my life jacket, I wouldn't be speaking to you."

Thompson will be sharing this message tomorrow at a JASAR recruitment drive, to be held at the Scout Association of Jamaica at Camp Road in Kingston at 6 p.m.

Inviting to sign up

Members of Jamaica Search and Rescue (JASAR) discuss the organisation's coming recruitment drive at the Royal Jamaica Yacht Club recently. - Photos by Mark Beckford

Robert Scott, chairman of the organisation, is inviting Jamaicans to come out and sign up.

Scott said 80 per cent of fatalities at sea could be prevented by wearing a life vest and taking other preventative measures. He said this was where JASAR comes in.

"The role of JASAR has a lot to do with prevention. Yes, it is exciting to go out to sea and save a life. It is so much more effective ... for us to prevent people from doing things that would create casualties," he said.

Scott said anyone could join and believes this will help in nation building

"We need people, so we are giving them an excellent opportunity to get involved in saving lives, helping them to build a nation and also get physically fit and have a great time underwater," he said.

mark.beckford@gleanerjm.com