Parents advised to tell lifeguard

Press, 3 January 1985, Page 4

Parents advised to tell lifeguard

Parents should approach the nearest lifeguard as soon as they noticed children missing at the beach, a Canterbury Surf Life-saving Association official advised yesterday. In the last few days there had been several incidents of parents losing children at the beach and not reporting them for quite some time, said Mr Paul McNally. On Monday afternoon a full search was made by the North Beach surf life-saving club after a boy, aged six, was reported missing. His parents waited more than

an hour after they noticed him missing before approaching the lifeguards, said Mr McNally. It took an hour and a half to find the boy, who had wandered along to South Brighton beach. He was unharmed. Parents should not feel embarrassed or be afraid to approach the lifeguards about missing children, he said. The lifeguards were only too willing to help, but a search would be made much easier if a missing child were reported as quickly as possible. Yesterday’s cooler

weather deterred many people from going for a swim in the sea. None of those who did venture into the water needed assistance from the lifeguards. Six people were rescued from Christchurch beaches on Tuesday. Most had got into difficulties outside the patrolled areas and had to be helped to shore, said Mr McNally. Mr McNally warned people against drinking alcohol before swimming and swimming in jeans. Such a combination was potentially dangerous.