Beach patrols could be stretched

Press, 20 December 1985, Page 1

Beach patrols could be stretched

Too many hot days in a row this summer could see beach patrol resources stretched. It has been asserted that lack of finance has forced the Canterbury Surf Life-Saving Association to restrict the number of patrollers it employs. Only four beaches, Taylors Mistake, Sumner, New Brighton and Waikuku, will have two patrollers. They will be on the beach from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The other beaches will be patrolled between 10 a.m. ana 6 p.m.

The paid lifeguards will be on duty on week-days only, except for Woodend which will be patrolled on public holidays. At week-ends and on public holidays the other beaches will be patrolled by surf club members. The full effects of the lack of finance had not yet been felt by the lifeguards as they had not been under too much strain, said the coordinator of beach patrols, Mr Geoff Barry, yesterday.

“If we have too many hot days in a row like today, the guards will really be under strain.”

The lifeguards who were on duty on their own could be particularly stressed if they had to cope with a lot of people for-eight hours at a time. It meant they would not be able to take lunch or tea breaks, and would have to spend all day in the sun, said Mr Barry. This year grants from the combined metropolitan councils had not been increased. The association had a budget of about $31,090. Of that the metropolitan councils supplied about $23,000 a year; the balance was made up from student job schemes, as well as some assistance from the borough and district councils.

The grant from the metropolitan councils had not increased in four years, said Mr Barry. The grants went towards the cost of paying wages, administration expenses and life-saving manuals for patrollers.

This year the association had had the added expense of having to buy the patrollers windbreaker jackets, said Mr Barry.