
Lifeguards set to return as new data shows beaches are busier than ever
Lifeguards from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) return to beaches this week, as the charity and local authorities prepare and get ready for another busy season, with figures from 2022 showing more people than ever visited a lifeguarded beach.
Last summer over 25M* people visited a lifeguarded beach, the highest number recorded since the RNLI began providing lifeguard patrols for local authorities in 2001. Lifeguards also aided more than 24,000 people in 2022 and saved 117 lives.
The RNLI works in partnership with local authorities and landowners each year to set up and roll out a lifeguard service at their request. Setting up a lifeguard service each season for a local authority involves several different elements including recruiting and training lifeguards and organising the logistics to deliver equipment and in some cases lifeguard units to each beach.
Before a lifeguard sets foot on a beach, they take part in months of training. From a rigorous fitness test to learning vital casualty care skills, it takes a lot of hard work, dedication and commitment in order to save lives at the beach.
As well as rescuing those in trouble in the water, RNLI lifeguards have to deal with multiple lost children, minor first aids including cuts and stings, major first aids including fractures and critical illnesses and provide safety advice to beach goers to ensure they enjoyed their day at the beach as safely as possible.
Kester Sheppard, RNLI Lead Lifeguard Supervisor, said:
‘RNLI lifeguards are at the forefront of the charity’s lifesaving work, as they keep beach visitors safe across the UK and Channel Islands. Last year’s figures show the importance of our lifeguards and what they do for the public, we are expecting coastal areas to be just as busy in the summer season ahead.
‘The RNLI has been working closely with Councils and local communities to ensure the beaches and lifeguard units are ready and equipped, and that lifeguard training has been performed seamlessly.
'Pre-season preparations have gone well and our lifeguards are looking forward to getting back on the beaches and doing what they do best; offering preventative safety advice to visitors and rescuing those in difficulty in the water or on the beach itself.
‘However, it is important to remember that our lifeguards can’t be everywhere. Our lifeguards will be supported by the charity’s 24/7 lifeboat service and water safety work, but we urge anyone visiting the coast to take responsibility for themselves and their family this summer.’
Local authorities invest each year in keeping their beach visitors safe by contributing to RNLI costs, which helps to meet lifeguard wages, while the extensive training and equipment needed is provided by the charity through public donations. RNLI lifeguards work alongside other emergency services and teams integral to an enjoyable visit to the beach, such as Council Seafront managers and beach warden teams.
The RNLI in partnership with local authorities and landowners will carry out their usual lifeguard service this year across the UK and Channel Islands in its standard phased approach. The first beaches will go on service from Saturday 1 April, ahead of the Easter holidays, and join Crosby beach which is patrolled 365 days of the year. The number of beaches will gradually increase through the season until the peak school summer holidays when over 240 beaches are patrolled.
Find your nearest at rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeguarded-beaches.
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The RNLI is urging anyone visiting the coast this summer to make sure they keep themselves and their families safe by following their beach safety advice.
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Visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags.
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Check the weather forecast, tide times and read local hazard signage to understand local risks.
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For activities like paddleboarding or kayaking we recommend you wear a wetsuit, buoyancy aid or lifejacket and carry a means of calling for help in a waterproof pouch and keep it on you. Tell someone what you are doing, where you are going and when you expect to return.
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If you are going open water swimming, use a wetsuit to keep you warm, wear a bright coloured swim hat and take a tow float to store personal items including a phone for emergencies
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If you fall into the water unexpectedly, FLOAT TO LIVE. Fight your instinct to thrash around, lean back, extend your arms and legs, and Float.
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In an emergency dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
If you are interested in working on the beach this summer, there are still lifeguard positions available. You will receive world-class lifesaving training, enjoy good rates of pay, the possibility of flexible working patterns and develop valuable skills for their future career. Find out more about becoming a lifeguard at rnli.org/BeALifeguard.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
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*Every two hours on their patrols RNLI lifeguards estimate the number of people on their beach. They then take the peak number reached per day and then add all the days together for any year required (or other time period).
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RNLI lifeguard 2022 statistics:
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18,897 incidents
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117 lives saved
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24,374 people aided
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4,067, 392 preventative actions
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25,535,381 beach visitors
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Interviews with RNLI lifeguards are available upon request.
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RNLI lifeguards patrol on Crosby beach in Formby 365 days of the year.
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By Easter RNLI lifeguards will be on 53 beaches across the UK and Channel Islands. This number will increase over the coming months until over 240 beaches are reached by mid-July.
RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Oliver Wrynne-Simpson, National Media Manager, on 077951 27351 or contact the National Press Office on 01202 336789.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.