Safe Summer success

May 2, 2007

Surf lifeguards rescued 10 people and clocked up nearly 2,500 hours in their first season patrolling Browns Bay, Long Bay, Mairangi Bay and Takapuna Beach as part of North Shore City Council’s Make it a Safe Summer campaign.

Lifeguards from Mairangi Bay Surf Lifesaving Club patrolled the beaches seven days a week during the school holidays and over the weekends from December until mid-March. Their involvement potentially saved ten lives.

At peak times there were more than 79,000 people on those four beaches – a lot of people that needed to be kept safe and possibly 10 tragedies that were prevented.

“The city is grateful to the surf lifesaving club, safety partners and the sponsors who made this possible,” North Shore City’s events, city promotions and tourism manager, Paul Dunphy says.

Make it a Safe Summer’s integrated approach is unique for safety campaigning in New Zealand and was promoted extensively at the 28 Shore Sounds concerts, which have continued to be well attended and enjoyed by North Shore families.

Mr Dunphy says Shore Sounds is a firmly established event and hopes to continue building on past successes to make it bigger and better next year.

“We would like to get more involved with Make it a Safe Summer to provide more activities for families and greater opportunities to get important safety messages out,” Mr Dunphy says.

The campaign promoted safety messages relating to water, dogs (resulting in 80 per cent fewer complaints), alcohol, boating, and driving, and will be instrumental in the council’s application to the World Health Organisation for ‘safe city’ status.

It is a joint initiative between North Shore City Council, Mairangi Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, the NZ Police, ACC, Watersafe Auckland, Maritime NZ, the Auckland Regional Health Service and Shoresafe.

ENDS

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