Volunteer lifeguards geared up for Labour Weekend season launch

‘Swim between the flags’ is once again the plea from Surf Life Saving Northern Region as it launches its summer volunteer patrols this weekend, with record numbers of active lifeguards, new radio technology and an updated vehicle fleet.

Surf Life Saving Northern Region oversees 17 clubs at beaches from Northland to Raglan and is the first region in the country to begin summer volunteer patrols which will run until Easter 2016.

With an El Nino summer ahead the season could be a long, busy one. NIWA is predicting increased winds on the west coast could lead to bigger surf and more rips while warm, dry conditions with warmer than usual water temperatures on the East Coast could see more people flocking to those beaches.

“As always, this summer the most important thing to remember to stay safe is ‘Swim between the flags’ and our lifeguards will be geared up and well placed to help people in patrolled areas,” Surf Life Saving Northern Region Lifesaving and Club Development Manager David Butt says.

Despite the fact that 90 people drowned in New Zealand last year, none of these were at between the flags at patrolled locations and Mr Butt says more lifeguards and new technology are helping Surf Life Saving Northern Region prevent people getting into trouble in the water.

“While our rescues, searches and instances of first aid assistance were all up last summer – which is not good news in itself – the really positive thing is that our increased numbers of volunteer lifeguards are enabling us to take far more preventative actions, and that’s something we aim to grow again this summer,” Mr Butt says.

Surf Life Saving Northern Region Acting CEO Matthew Williams says Surf Life Saving Northern Region’s membership is in its sixth consecutive year of growth, with a record number of members. There will be a record 1,943 active lifeguards in place this summer, up 6% from last summer.

Northern region lifeguards will have the help of some new technology as they patrol many of the country’s busiest surf beaches, with a radio network upgrade completed in time for the new season.

Technically speaking this has involved replacing or reprogramming all repeaters to Narrowband and upgrading all sites to ensure there are back-up power supplies and parts to maintain this emergency communication method at all times.

“Effectively that gives us increased reception, particularly in some of the more notorious trouble spots such as Flat rock or Maori Bay at Muriwai, and less down time for repeaters, which are often exposed to tough beach environments,” Mr Butt says.

“These changes are critical to an improved service and communication between lifeguards.”

Mr Williams says key sponsorships from the likes of Harcourts (which celebrates one year as the organisation’s principal sponsor this summer) and Toyota Financial Services have enabled the Surf Life Saving Northern Region to update its vehicle fleet and other life saving equipment, in readiness for the summer ahead.

“It’s thanks to our sponsors, partners, and the volunteers themselves, who generously give us their time, that we were able to keep 125,000 Northern Region beachgoers safe last summer.”

“We are ready to do it all again this summer but, once again, the biggest thing beachgoers can do to help themselves and us is ‘Swim between the flags’. With our services and some collective individual responsibility from beachgoers we are all set for an excellent summer between the flags,” Mr Williams says.

For more information visits www.lifesaving.org.nz.

ENDS

© Scoop Media