Any floaty board recommendations for safety at the beach? Do yous carry something like this? Any stories about nearly drowning or saving someone?

Around 100 people drown in New Zealand each year and we're heading into summer where i'm gonna try swim a lot.

I've been thinking if my girlfriend gets swept out to sea while swimming then i probably would die if i tried to save her. I'm an OK swimmer but it's still quite scary. I've had some closeish calls swimming by myself and the tide has turned and i've really struggled to get back to the beach.

I want to keep a boogie board or something like that in my car as a safety option.

What do you guys recommend ?