The 2018/19 Patrol Season officially got underway in late September and as the mercury steadily rose throughout spring lifesavers began to anticipate a busy start to summer.

Those predictions proved eerily accurate last weekend as the frontline volunteers became involved in 232 rescues across the state; the most recorded this season so far.

The majority of these incidents occurred at beaches in the Central Coast Sydney Northern Beaches and Sydney Branch areas with the rescue logs detailing 89, 43, and 77 rescues respectively.

At Soldiers Beach on the Central Coast an incredible 56 rescues took place on Sunday, while other busy beaches included 41 at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, and 16 at Newport on the Northern Beaches throughout the weekend.

Additionally the State Operations Centre tasked assets to 8 incidents while ambulances were dispatched to 23 incidents.

Unfortunately there were a number of tragic incidents that marred the weekend.

Sadly despite the best efforts of emergency services a man couldn’t be revived after getting into difficulty while swimming at the Colo River in Northwest Sydney.

Two young children were rushed to hospital on Sunday after they were pulled from the water at Narrabeen Lake.

SLSNSW CEO Steven Pearce said the near-fatal accident was a timely reminder of the importance of watching children near water.

“Regardless of whether you are at a beach, swimming in a river, or splashing around a backyard pool it’s incredibly important to keep an eye on young children as accidents can happen so quickly.

“With the hot conditions expected to continue well into the new-year our volunteer surf lifesavers will be on patrol each weekend ready to respond to any emergency situation,” Mr Pearce said.

Summer Safety Tips

• Always swim between the red and yellow patrol flags, for your nearest patrolled beach check the BeachSafe app or website

• Read the safety signs for information about the beach and ask a lifesaver or lifeguard for safety information

• Always swim with someone else so you can look out for each other, and always supervise children around the water

• Never swim under the influence of alcohol or drugs

• If you need help in the water, stay calm and attract attention by raising one arm

• In an emergency, dial Triple Zero Police

• Don’t forget to be sun safe by remembering to: Slip on some protective clothing, Slop on some sunscreen, Slap on a hat, Slide on a pair of sunglasses, Seek some shade and Sip on lots of water to stay hydrated

•  For information about patrol times, weather, and beach locations visit the Beachsafe Website or Download the App.

 

Monday 3 December 2018