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Blake, Wm. Christian Drawn Out of the Slough by Help, object 6. 1824.

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A survey in New Zealand, a hotspot for surfing, found that surfers throughout their lives reportedly rescue an average of three people who are drowning or otherwise struggling in the water.

The survey began with an online survey of 418 surfers from across New Zealand and revealed that some surfers have reported participating in 10 to 20 rescues. In total, the surfers claimed to have participated in 1,274 rescues, including 296 times when they felt they’d saved a person’s life. Of these rescues, 73% took place on beaches without lifeguards present.

The research suggests that organizations involved in drowning prevention “should work closely with surfing communities on ways to reduce fatalities at coastal beaches.”

Jamie Mead, researcher: “We need to get surfers the recognition they deserve and do more research to accurately quantify how many rescues they’re actually doing.”