As summer approaches, visitors are gearing up to flock to beaches and swimming pools, and lifeguards will be there to protect them.
Last week, the City of Cape Town started deploying 600 swimming pool and beach lifeguards who will keep a watchful eye on bathers over summer.
TygerBurger attended the deployment at the Big Bay Beach where the City’s Mayor and Mayco member for community services and health Patricia van der Ross kicked off their shoes to take part in the demonstrations.
Ready for summer
The Big Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, the host of the official launch of the deployment, held various demonstrations, showing their readiness for the summer season ahead.
Other beach and pool lifeguards took to the water this month as the gradual reopening of pools started and visitors began taking advantage of the warmer weather to make a beeline for the coast.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said at the launch the summer season is fast approaching.
“A key part of our preparedness is to ensure the many beautiful beaches and swimming pools across our metro are safe and ready to welcome residents and visitors.
“Today we saw the lifeguards we have recruited put through their paces and I want to call on beachgoers and pool visitors to please also play their part and be responsible when enjoying their time in the sun.
“By working together we can ensure that everyone has a great time and stays safe over the festive season,” he said.
Rirst responders
Van der Ross said at the launch that lifeguards are working even when there are no active incidents for them to respond to.
“Part of their duties is to conduct observations and spot potential hazards before they become life-threatening.
“Lifeguards play an important role in ensuring the safety of bathers and they’re often the first responders in an emergency at the beach,” she said.
City’s drowning prevention plan
According to the City’s drowning prevention plan, lifeguards will be on duty at 32 swimming pools and 29 beaches, tidal pools and stretches of coast this season.
The City offers a number of safe swimming awareness drives and campaigns to prevent drowning.
Already 21 people have drowned this year.
Over the past three years, 86% of the total fatal drowning were males, while 60% of all fatalities were youth between 13 – 35 years old.
The City says the public should keep in mind that alcohol is not permitted on City beaches or at public swimming pools.
“It results in slow physical reaction time should you find yourself in trouble in the water and reduces the impact of CPR.
“The consumption of alcohol also causes someone to misjudge their swimming abilities and lead them to take risks that they ordinarily would not take when sober,” a statement from the City reads.
The City implements a drowning prevention plan annually in partnership with the NSRI, Lifesaving South Africa, Lifesaving Cape Town, the police and City law enforcement to name a few.
“Through joint efforts by seasonal and permanent staff, partners and key roleplayers in the drowning prevention sector, together with resource allocations and the required political support, the Department will continue to strive towards its vision of eliminating accidental drownings in Cape Town.
“Preventing drownings is not just the job of lifeguards, but visitors to pools and beaches also have a responsibility. Follow the rules to ensure your own safety when in and around water,” Van der Ross says.
Swim between the flags
Beachgoers are reminded to only swim where there are lifeguards on duty and where signs indicate it is safe to do so.
“Always supervise children near water, dressing them in bright colours to make sure that lifeguards can see them in the water.
“Remember that the best form of supervision is to be engaged with young children in the water when at play, rather than watching from a distance, which leaves them at risk,” the City says.
Always swim between the red and yellow flags set up by lifeguards at the beach.
These indicate safer, supervised swimming areas.
Areas outside these flags might conceal dangerous currents and tides.
