Equipment but no funds

23.07.2010

While Far South Coast Surf Life Saving is welcoming the addition of a new rescue jetski and helicopter, volunteers feel removing the paid lifeguard system will simply undermine their recent efforts.For more local news and photos grab a copy of the Bay Post or Moruya Examiner.

 

"If the life guards are going to be removed, it would undermine the good work we're doing to expand our service," Far South Coast Surf Life Saving assistant director Andrew Edmunds said.

"So what's the point of expanding? We're doing the best we can to put on more patrols and rescue equipment, but it's going to be undone in a heartbeat if there's no lifeguard presence over Christmas."

Council has indicated it will have to cut $150,000 from paid lifeguard services after unsuccessfully applying for a special rate variation.

A council spokeswoman said beach patrols were introduced after rate-pegging and that it was not a service provided by all NSW Councils.

"To date, paid life saving services funded by council have included some National Park beaches, for which the council does not receive any contribution from the NSW Government," she said.

According to the spokeswoman, the paid lifeguards performed 41 rescues and 5420 preventions last season on the seven patrolled beaches including Surf Beach, Malua Bay, Broulee, Moruya, Tuross, Dalmeny and Narooma.

Mr Edmunds said paid life guards kept the beaches safe from Monday to Friday over the peak Christmas

period, and that it would be difficult for volunteers to pick up the slack because of work commitments.

"We're not in a position to do that," he said. "Our callout" teams would probably take up some of the slack by responding to some incidents, but then there's nothing on the beach to prevent people getting into trouble in the first place."

He said that "without a doubt" there would be a rise in drowning incidents in the Eurobodalla if the lifeguard service was taken away.

"Hundreds of thousands of people come every year and it only takes a second for something to happen. The impact is huge but also on the wider community in terms of tourism value. We don't want the message getting out that the South Coast has unsafe beaches. But of course, with no lifeguards, it will be unsafe."

Far South Coast Surf Life Saving volunteers are currently training on their new rescue jetski, which will be based in Broulee and service Batemans Bay to Tuross Head.

Broulee Surf Life Saving Club captain Peter Haselden said the main advantage of the jetski would be its speed.

"If someone was having difficulty in surf, (the jetski) could get in the break very quickly," he said.

Surf Life Saving will present their case to council next Tuesday, with the help of NSW president Tony Haven.

"We are concerned that council aren't putting paid lifeguards on beach because it's a very busy part of the year for the far south coast," Mr Haven said.

"We want to discuss with them their thoughts before it goes too much further."

'Copter boosts life-saving services

Along with the new jetski, surf life savers have also welcomed the new Westpac rescue helicopter.

While the main base for the chopper has yet to be officially named, Westpac Life Saving Rescue Helicopters general manager Stephen Leahy said they had "looked at a number of options, including the Moruya airport and discussions are underway with council officers".

The helicopter will service the Far South Coast for the next three summers, however Mr Leahy said it was likely to stay much longer.

"Our real hope is that if we get enough support from the community, we won't go home."

The helicopter will service Shoalhaven Heads down to the Victorian border and will be open to all emergency services, not just for patrolling the coast.

"We will be conducting active surf patrols on public holidays and weekends. There are also many unpatrolled beaches on the South Coast and we'll be able to watch these beaches from the sky."

There are currently eight other Westpac Life Saving Rescue Helicopters in NSW, and Mr Leahy said during the off-season the helicopter would be based in Sydney but would still be available for major incidents.

Far South Coast Surf Life Saving assistant director Andrew Edmunds said the volunteers were ecstatic to have a helicopter for rescue operations.

"A helicopter can get there much quicker than we can. Having the air support is just additional security for our volunteers, he said."