City lifeguards take up their posts

Teams of lifeguards took up their posts on Brighton & Hove’s beaches this weekend to get the summer season off to a safe start.

30 new recruits have joined Brighton & Hove City Council’s seafront team, to help ensure visitors enjoy a safe and happy time on the beach this summer. Many of the lifeguards will be familiar to regular beach goers as they return to the job they enjoyed last year.

The new lifeguards have spent this week preparing for the summer season, when they will patrol the city’s beaches from the Marina to Hove Lagoon.

The team, of male and female lifeguards, have all successfully completed a beach lifeguard qualification and a week-long induction course acquiring a wide range of skills from assessing sea and weather conditions and dealing with beach hazards, to carrying out first aid and water rescues.

During an average year Brighton & Hove’s lifeguards carry out over 100 water rescues, and save many lives. They also administer first aid to around 250 beach goers, give safety advice to around 10,000 people and reunite hundreds of children with their families.

Easily to spot in their red and yellow uniforms, the lifeguards will be on duty each day from 9.30am to 7.00pm, supporting the council’s year round seafront team.

Councillor Geoffrey Bowden, chair of the council’s Economic Development and Culture committee said: “Once again we are delighted to have recruited a dedicated team of lifeguards to patrol our popular beaches.

“The new lifeguards are committed to supporting our regular seafront officers in ensuring the millions of visitors from all over the world who flock to our beaches every summer return home safe and happy.”

Recruiting a team of lifeguards is just one of the ways in which the council is preparing for a busy summer season. Other new additions to the seafront include 12 new large recycling bins for glass, cardboard, plastic bottles, newspapers, magazines and food and drinks cans.

Situated between the two piers, the brightly coloured bins will be emptied every day and should help keep the beaches litter free while boosting recycling rates in the city.

The council has also installed an additional 20 double barbeque bins to help beach goers safely dispose of their waste and extra beach cleaning teams will be on duty every day throughout the summer from 5am to 10pm.