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Chase returning to launch Ocean Safe Initiatives with NWS and DMWR

Bruckner Chase during a visit to American Samoa in Sept. 2017. [SN file photo]
Source: Joint media release

Ocean City, NJ & Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Professional Ocean Athlete and Ambassador for Oceans and Coasts, Bruckner Chase - Uila o le Sami, who swam from Aunu’u to Pago Pago in 2011 is returning to American Samoa May 11 prior to the summer release of an innovative new NOAA National Weather Service film series that was captured on-island with an NWS film crew last September.

Bruckner will be working with village groups, schools, local agencies and community groups to share the key messages that are central to this new educational film series that includes the specific hazards faced by visitors and residents in American Samoa. 

Hosted by Bruckner, the film teaches personal and community actions that can help prevent dangerous situations while also helping those who may find themselves in a position to protect or save others. 

Bruckner and his Ocean Positive Foundation’s vision is to develop sustainable opportunities to enhance the safety, well-being and quality of life for everyone in American Samoa. The couple will be working in cooperation with NWS, Samoan Affairs, village leaders, government agencies, schools and community groups to coordinate their on-island activities and outreach.

Bruckner’s upcoming trip will focus on the Department of Marine Wildlife Resources’ ongoing efforts on community and coastal strength building and recovery.  He will also work with the Department of Commerce on ocean safety capacity building with the goal of promoting economic development opportunities connected to ocean and coastal resources. 

In addition to working with groups in the water and in the classroom on safety skills presented in the Ocean Safe film, Bruckner’s Ocean Positive foundation will be installing a new prototype Remote Rescue Station in Leone to protect both those in trouble in the water and potential rescuers.

This innovative new system was developed to provide the equipment, instruction and resources needed even on remote beaches to execute the safety actions called for in the Ocean Safe film to help protect or possibly save someone who may be caught in a dangerous situation near the shore. 

Chase is a globally recognized expert in ocean and aquatic safety and conservation with extensive experience working with lifeguards, ocean athletes, race directors and first responders from around the world including Canada, Poland, Denmark and Australia. 

Since his first trip to American Samoa in 2011 he has become one of the top surf lifesaving athletes and watermen in the world. He is the only American to win a medal at the grueling Australian Coolangatta Gold Surf Lifesaving Iron Man, and in 2016 he competed in the Lifesaving World Championships finishing in the top ten in every event in which he competed. 

He is the Technical Director and Ambassador for the Red Bull Surf and Rescue Professional Championships; and is a special ambassador for the upcoming ILS 2018 Lifesaving World Championships to be held in Adelaide, Australia.

For More Information: Bruckner Chase - Bruckner@bcoceanpositive.org - 831-345-9550 — www.bcoceanpositive.org; Andra Samoa, DMWR — andra.samoa@gmail.com - 684-733-4122; and, Elinor Lutu, National Weather Service — elinor.lutu-mcmoore@noaa.gov — 684-699-9130