With the flags up and patrols across the majority of NSW now back on the beaches, the Premier Gladys Berejiklian thanked the more than 20,000 active volunteer surf lifesavers who will contribute their time to keeping the public safe on NSW beaches every weekend and public holiday until April next week.
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“I would like to sincerely thank every volunteer for their vigilance and commitment to the community and visitors to our state’s beautiful beaches,” Ms Berejiklian said.
In an exciting development for surf lifesavers, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) will again take to the sky to protect beachgoers as part of a larger trial of the technology to determine their effectiveness as shark mitigation and beach safety tools.
The extended trial gets underway at 15 more NSW locations.
SLSNSW CEO Steven Pearce said from this weekend volunteers would be back on the beaches doing what they do best – keeping an eye on the thousands of people who visit our beautiful coastline.
“We make no apologies for continuing to push our safety messages. It’s really simple, we encourage all beachgoers to stop, think and plan. Don’t swim at unpatrolled locations, know your limitations and learn how to spot and avoid rip currents,” Mr Pearce said.
Some Surf Lifesaving statistics:
A number of key findings emerged from the 2018 Surf Life Saving NSW Coastal Safety Report:
* There were 39 coastal drowning deaths, up six from the previous year and is just above the 10-year average of 38.
* Summer proved to be the most deadly with over 55 per cent (22 people) drowning between December and February. In December alone, 10 people drowned, more than double the 10 year average.
* Overwhelmingly males continue to represent the majority of drowning deaths, however there was a sharp increase in the number of females who drowned with seven cases recorded (almost double the previous year).
* Again, 20-29 year olds drowned the most, accounting for 26 per cent of deaths while 40-49 year olds accounted for 23 per cent.
* Sadly there was a spike in coastal drowning deaths in those aged under 15 years. This season there were three high profile incidents with victims aged between 10 and 14, with two cases a direct result of rip currents.
* 36 per cent of people drowned while swimming, predominantly as a result of getting into difficulty in a rip current, and 18 per cent died rock fishing.
* There was a concerning rise in the number of drowning incidents that occurred within one km of a patrolled location, accounting for 62 per cent (24) of drowning deaths.
* Regions which experienced the main increases in drownings included: Far North Coast, Mid North Coast and the Illawarra. Drownings were down in Sydney and for the second year in a row, there were no coastal drownings recorded on the Lower North Coast.
Educating beachgoers about the importance of the flagged area continues to form a vital part of surf lifesaving’s safety messages as summer looms.
