BEACH SAFETY FROM A LIFEGUARD’S PERSPECTIVE Strandfontein (False Bay) lifeguard Grant Grove shares water-safety tips

BEACH SAFETY: a lifeguard’s perspective

Air-sea rescue swimmer, NSRI lifeguard and volunteer crewman at Station 16 (Strandfontein, False Bay) Grant Grove shares his knowledge of beach and water safety, and the role of lifeguards.

Q: What are the most common reasons why people find themselves in difficulty in the surf?

A: Often people are unaware there are rip currents and, when they are caught in one, don’t know how to get out of them. We also come across people swimming under the influence of alcohol, and children playing or swimming in the shallows unsupervised. In addition, when people are on holiday they may stop at an unfamiliar beach for a quick dip – these beaches are often unmanned and dangerous.

Q: The Lifeguard Unit aims for prevention rather than active rescue. How do you achieve this in large areas like Strandfontein and Monwabisi beaches?

A: We do active and visible patrols, put up signs and direct people to where the proper bathing area is. We call people out of areas where it’s dangerous to swim, tell them why and advise them about safer options, in other words where swimming areas are flagged and manned.

Q: What are your top water-safety tips?

A: Never swim alone; always swim with a buddy. Never swim while you are intoxicated and don’t swim in regular clothes. Learn rip-current safety. Swim in between the flags that the lifeguards have erected – this is the safest place to swim because they checked the water and currents. Do not allow your children to play near water or swim unattended, no matter how shallow it is. Know where the nearest Pink Rescue Buoy is on any beach you go to.

Q: Describe the lifeguard’s role on the beach.

A: We’re here to keep people out of danger. They come to the beach to enjoy themselves, and our job is to provide a safe beach area for that purpose. We go about our responsibilities professionally so that we gain the trust and respect of the public. We also ensure members of the public adhere to the rules pertaining to public safety on the beach. To assist us in these tasks, we use all-terrain vehicles, jet-skis or jetRIBs so that we can cover a wide area by land or sea.

MORE ABOUT GRANT GROVE

Grant joined Station 16 (Strandfontein) at the end of 2016 and received his NSRI crew badge a year later. He also became a member of Strandfontein Surf Lifesaving club and qualified with Lifesaving Western Cape. He participated in the NSRI’s Water Safety education programme by teaching drowning-prevention skills to Grade 7 classes. Grant joined NSRI’s Air Sea Rescue unit in 2018 as a trainee rescue swimmer and he is still an active member here. In the same year, Station 16 approached NSRI head office to start a Lifeguard Unit at Strandfontein Beach. Grant is employed as a driver at NSRI and is receiving training at the Emergency Operations Centre where he is working part-time.

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