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Press Room Newspaper library Environment Formentera Lifeguard and Rescue Services gear up for the 2014 season

Formentera Lifeguard and Rescue Services gear up for the 2014 season

inicisocorrisme2014 webThe Lifeguard and Rescue Services of the Formentera Council begin the summer season on 1 May with a team of 8 lifeguards, which, as the summer progresses, will swell to a total of 18. Posted and assuring safe conditions across Formentera's coastal zones, this team of safety professionals will grow further still, eventually including the work of three volunteers trained and certified as part of the Water Safety course. These three individuals are scheduled to join the lifeguard force during the busiest months of the summer season. The service's summer 2014 budget totals 230,000 euros.
The body of lifeguards will assure safe conditions on the beaches of Migjorn (es Arenals and Maryland), Llevant (the Llevant and Tanga beachfront bars), Ses Illetes and Pas des Trucadors.

At the disposition of Formentera Lifeguard and Rescue Services are lifeguard watchtowers, a first-aid hut on the beach at Es Arenals, a six metre semi-rigid rubber dinghy and three jet skis.

The often preventative work of the lifeguard service consists in providing information to swimmers and watercraft, giving medical assistance and assuring a primary role in emergency situations. Their presence on beaches is wholly indispensable, as evidenced by the elevated number of instances of lifeguard mediation summer after summer. For example, last year, medical assistance was necessary on approximately 3,000 different occasions, nearly one thousand more than in 2012. This change was due to a surge in jellyfish numbers in our island's waters. In addition to often relatively minor interventions, 109 instances of swimmer rescue were recorded over the course of the 2014 summer season.

In place for two years already, Formentera's assisted-swim service will once again return to the beaches of Es Arenals and Es Pujols in 2014. Last year 29 requests were logged by the service that, in allowing even individuals with reduced mobility the possibility of enjoying our island's waters, has meant a marked improvement to Formentera beaches.

Additional preparations include the installation of buoys along the Formentera coast, presently in its final stages. Currently only the beach at Migjorn awaits its annual installation of coastal buoys.

We remind readers that Formentera is still the only municipality in the Balearics to have its own lifeguard and rescue service, permitting greater flexibility in addressing the needs present at each beach.

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Gabinet de Premsa


971 32 10 87 - Ext: 3181
premsa@conselldeformentera.cat