Beach patrols under way

With the summer season around the corner, the City of Bunbury Surf Life Saving Club patrol captains and their teams have commenced beach patrols.

Club director of lifesaving Gary Carthew said the volunteers had been training during the off-season and would complete their skills upgrade to ensure they were rescue-ready.

“Our qualified youth and senior lifesavers provide an essential service during the summer months,” Mr Carthew said.

“They have trained to not only perform vital rescues but are also available for first aid and prevention measures to keep our beach users safe and our beaches enjoyable.”

Mr Carthew said the South West is still experiencing rough winter seas and reminded beachgoers to exercise caution when swimming or engaging in water activities.

“Now that our volunteers are out patrolling, I would encourage swimmers to stay between the flags and to always be on the lookout for transient rips and undertows,” he said. “We are looking forward to an excellent summer season and invite members of the public to engage positively with the volunteer lifesavers they encounter on the beach.”

The Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter will also be patrolling the beaches from the air, providing assistance by identifying risks from marine life, including sharks.

The helicopter plays an essential role in coastal safety and identifying and assisting in emergencies.

It is manned by both paid and volunteer crew who work together with patrols along the coast to locate rip currents and incidents on the beaches.

There will be 10 patrols rostered on Sundays from 11am to 3pm during October and November at Bunbury Back Beach.

In December, these patrols will extend to Saturday afternoons as well as Koombana Bay until the end of the summer season.