Near 30-degree temperatures and huge beach visitation in parts of NSW yesterday capped another very busy week for surf lifesavers in what is shaping as one of the biggest summers on record.
An estimated 380,000 people travelled to the coastline to beat the heat on Sunday 15 January, while 500,000 beachgoers were registered for the weekend.
It brought to an end another demanding week for volunteer lifesavers and lifeguards, with 163 rescues registered – taking the summer tally to nearly 1,800. 45 emergency incidents were also registered over the week, while 112 of those rescues came over the weekend.
Among them was a mass rescue at The Entrance on the Central Coast where a man in his 50s and two teenage girls were pulled from the ocean baths on Sunday afternoon. The male was semi-conscious at the time and was treated by paramedics, while the two girls were put on oxygen but left the scene with their family.
The man and the girls were not related.
Persons taking on water at South Maroubra, North Wollongong and Lake Parramatta, where lifeguards were called to assist a man who was suffering from an asthma attack after falling out of a kayak, were also major incidents on Sunday.
While quieter, Saturday saw two people rescued by IRB after hours at Avoca Beach.
Surf Life Saving NSW Director of Lifesaving, Joel Wiseman said the dedication volunteer lifesavers and lifeguards continue to show is a credit to their passion for beach safety.
“Our membership should be very proud of their efforts so far this summer,” he said.
“We are experiencing one of our busiest summers ever with huge rescue numbers, and our volunteers continue to show up every week and do their best to ensure everyone who visits the coastline does so safely.”
So far this summer, there have been 8 coastal drownings including two in the last seven days – at Gordon’s Bay and Steamers Beach. 19 coastal drownings have been registered to July 1 2022.
Monday 16 January 2022