Meet the Rescue Tube Foundation

Started in 2010, the Rescue Tube Foundation is an outgrowth of the Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay’s efforts to prevent drownings on the island of Kauai in Hawaii, USA. More people on Kauai have died in the ocean than on the highway. It’s hard to imagine, but it’s true. 

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Kauai’s rip currents are killers. They have created the highest drowning rate in Hawaii, but for 12 years the Rescue Tube Foundation has been helping to prevent more unnecessary tragedies.

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Public Access Rescue Tubes are personal flotation devices designed to protect rescuers and to stabilize distressed swimmers before rescue by lifeguards.

 

Since the first Rescue Tube was installed over 14 years ago, more than 200 Rescue Tube saves have been reported, and it is estimated that over 30 drownings may have been prevented by this effort.

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Thanks to our pioneering efforts on Kauai, there are now Rescue Tubes guarding the beaches of the Big Island of Hawaii, Maui and Oahu. The Rescue Tube Foundation is now also spreading this lifesaving program to the U.S. mainland, with Rescue Tubes installed on beaches in North Carolina, Florida, South Dakota (on a lakefront), and California.  Our Rescue tubes are now also installed on the Sunshine Coast of Canada.

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We strongly recommend that you always swim in sight of a lifeguard, but when that is not possible then a Rescue Tube can be a very important aid to personal safety should you choose to attempt a water rescue.

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When you see a Rescue Tube, take a closer look and become familiar with it. Explain them to your family and friends. Rescue Tubes save lives. Learn more about how to get a Rescue Tube program started in your community, or how to partner with the Rescue Tube Foundation in helping to protect recreational waterfronts around the world!