Saving lives all year round
Tue 01 July 2008
Felicity Richardson, Journalism
The surf is up on Sunshine Coast beaches and so are the red and yellow flags, ensuring swimming safety all year round.
After the recent amalgamation of the Caloundra, Maroochy and Noosa councils, the Sunshine Coast Regional Council has stepped forward to provide patrols for Sunshine Coast beaches to keep them safe throughout the year, giving Surf Lifesaving Queensland volunteers a well-earned winter break.
The Sunshine Coast Regional Council Professional Lifeguard Service is part of a national movement to help keep beaches safe all year round. The service will ensure beaches from Caloundra to Noosa are patrolled seven days a week. The only exception is Alexandra Headlands, which will continue to be patrolled by volunteer lifesavers on weekends.
Local mother of two Kim Jones is grateful for the change.
“Beaches need to be manned every day during holidays and on public holiday weekends,” she said.
“During the holidays when locals and tourists crowd the beaches on weekends and during the week more patrols need to be made.”
Maroochy Surf Club supervisor Tim Ryan is relieved at the change. A Sunshine Coast local for over 30 years, he believes this will provide volunteer lifesavers with more time to spend on training.
“It’s not just the standing between the flags, it’s the training involved also,” Mr Ryan said.
“We put more than 400 people through training courses this season.”
He encouraged the Sunshine Coast community to complete the Bronze Medallion and jump on the volunteer surf lifesaving bandwagon.
Other courses are also offered in areas including first aid and resuscitation, occupational health and safety and lifesaving.
Performing over 1375 rescues across the Sunshine Coast this season, it is no wonder the lifesavers need a break.
Sunshine Coast Surf Lifesaving duty officer David Mclean told the Sunshine Coast Daily: “We thank our volunteers who have done a fantastic job saving all those lives.
“Our drowning stats were down from three to two on the Sunshine Coast and eight to seven in Queensland which means we are getting towards our goal of zero drowning.”
But Mr Mclean continues to remind the public to swim between the flags.
Council’s lifeguard service offers beach and water safety, beach-wise education, local law application and tourism support.
Navy blue and white will become a regular sight next to the red and yellow flags at patrolled beaches, with lifesavers gearing up in an easily recogniseable uniform.
The lifeguards are ready for rain, hail or shine and will continue to provide a friendly service to locals and the many tourists who visit the Sunshine Coast every year.
The Sunshine Coast Regional Council Professional Lifeguards are fully qualified, having completed extensive training in rescue techniques and lifesaving at various Sunshine Coast surf clubs.
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