THOUSANDS of volunteer surf lifesavers across Queensland will return to the state’s beaches on Saturday, September 20 as Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) kicked off its 2014/15 patrol season.
The season will see surf lifesavers from Forrest Beach down to Sarina raise the red and yellow flags on North Barrier beaches every weekend and public holiday until April 2015, with lifeguards continuing their weekday patrols.
SLSQ regional manager Jenny Neal is expecting huge crowds of beachgoers this summer and, with that in mind, she urged swimmers to “put safety first” when venturing into the ocean.
“The summer months are obviously a great time to head down to the beach with family and friends, but it’s important that people don’t lose sight of their own personal safety in the process,” Ms Neal said.
“When the sun’s out and the beaches are busy, it’s really important that people follow the advice of lifesavers and lifeguards, and only swim at patrolled beaches and between the red and yellow flags,” she said.
“Just one silly mistake, or a moment of madness, can have tragic and long-term consequences, not just for the individuals involved but also their family and friends as well.
“This summer we’re really encouraging beachgoers to look out for their family and friends as well, so everyone remembers their time at the beach for all the right reasons. Always remember, if we can’t see you we can’t save you.”
Last year proved to be a busy season for SLSQ’s volunteer members, with North Barrier lifesavers spending more than 17,800 hours on patrol, performing 3,155 preventative actions, 98 first aid treatments and, most importantly, directly saving four lives in the process.
Importantly, Ms Neal said there were zero preventable drownings across the region last year.
“Our goal as an organisation is to achieve ‘zero preventable deaths in Queensland waters’ and that’s exactly what we’ll continue striving towards.
“Even one drowning is one too many as far as we’re concerned.”
SLSQ operations support will also be out in force across the summer months, supporting patrols with a variety of services including rescue water crafts and inflatable rescue boats.