Beachgoers on the Far South Coast will be able to do so with added peace of mind this summer holidays with the Australian Lifeguard Service (ALS) engaged to keep watch over locals and visitors at eight key locations across the Eurobodalla Shire Council region.
The ALS currently patrols 75 percent of the NSW coastline, with the Eurobodalla Shire joining Bega and Shoalhaven as Council regions in the state’s south coast tapping into the network of more than 450 qualified and trained lifeguards.
Over the peak summer period between 20 December 2023 and 29 January 2024, lifeguards will patrol seven days a week at popular locations including North Head, Tuross and Dalmeny, while beaches with surf clubs like Broulee and Narooma will continue to be patrolled by volunteer surf lifesavers on weekends and public holidays, while lifeguards will patrol Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.
The ALS provides a first-class professional lifeguard service to councils from the Tweed to Bega, and seamlessly integrates with Surf Life Saving volunteers and the state-of-the-art SLSNSW State Operations Centre based in Belrose, providing greater coverage and incident response across the coastline.
“It’s going to be great to be back in the Eurobodalla Shire this summer as part of our initial two-year agreement with the Council,” Chris O’Rorke from the ALS said.
“Our lifeguards are the best of the best, guys and girls who are highly trained and skilled and are passionate about what they do.
“We want to keep beachgoers safe and this commitment from the Eurobodalla Shire Council is testament to their desire to do exactly that as well.”
“We’re anticipating a really testing summer with hot, dry conditions that will keep our lifeguards and volunteer lifesavers on their toes,” SLSNSW CEO, Steve Pearce added.
“In engaging the ALS, the Eurobodalla Shire Council is acknowledging the value of streamlined processes and that interoperability aspect between lifesavers and lifeguards as a crucial aspect of beach and ocean safety.”
Eurobodalla Shire Council Mayor, Mathew Hatcher echoed this message and stressed the importance of taking guidance from those dressed in red and yellow when visiting the coastline.
“Eurobodalla’s beaches get quite busy as they’re a popular destination for tourists and locals; I always appreciate knowing when and where it’s safe to swim,” he said.
“I hope everyone does the right thing, following advice from lifeguards and lifesavers – because we all know how quickly conditions can change along our coastline.”
As part of the agreement, the ALS will work closely with Surf Life Saving clubs from across the region and deploy a crew of fully trained lifeguards, supervisors and equipment, including four jet skis, to provide greater coverage.
The ALS is also currently accepting expressions of interest from locals who are eager to join the team this summer. To find out more, click here.
Wednesday 1 November 2023