Victorian Lifesavers thank the public for ‘Playing it Safe by the Water’ over Australia Day Weekend

Life Saving Victoria has advised that a total of 126 aquatic rescues were performed across Victoria by volunteer lifesavers and paid lifeguards from Monday 22nd to Sunday 28th January.

The period, which included the Australia Day long weekend when Melbourne’s temperature peaked at 38.1 degrees on Sunday, saw volunteer lifesavers and paid lifeguards busy with 20,451 preventive actions and 207 first aid incidents.

Beach attendance over the long weekend at patrolled locations is estimated at 432,533 people who sought relief from the heat.

Commenting on activity over the last week of the school holidays, Life Saving Victoria General Manager, Paul Shannon stated “after a shocking summer for drownings, with the highest number over summer since records began in 2000, we’d like to thank the public for heeding our calls for water safety.

“We’re pleased to report no one drowned on our coastal beaches this long weekend.”

However, the weekend didn’t go without incident, with Saturday seeing two fathers and five children  caught in a rip current at Airey’s Inlet.

Dragged to the back of the break, surfers and beachgoers took on the role of everyday lifesavers in assisting the group, backed by the nearby Fairhaven Surf Life Saving Club patrollers.

Father Chris Corr and his friend were kayaking and he says the group - including children aged between eight and 13 years - were all strong swimmers and experienced in the surf.

Thankfully, previously learnt lifesaving skills proved to be very valuable.

Shannon advised “even the strongest swimmers can find themselves in trouble in the surf.

“This could have ended tragically in a very different outcome and all members of the public should be praised. The fact the group stayed calm and didn’t panic is a huge learning for others to remember if they get caught in a similar situation.”

With two-thirds of people not knowing how to identify a rip, or what to do if caught in one, LSV urges everyone to brush up on their rip current knowledge.

Volunteer lifesavers and paid lifeguards patrolled 67 locations across Victoria this weekend, with extra lifesavers called in to assist with the hot weather.

In addition to lifesavers and lifeguards on the beach, Victoria’s two Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopters provided vital support, keeping an eye on beachgoers from the sky, and assisting in the rescue at Airey’s Inlet.

LSV also operated Rescue Water Craft (jet skis) from a number of locations across the coast and in Port Phillip Bay.

Click here for more information on rips.

Image courtesy of Life Saving Victoria.

11th January 2018 - NEW CAREER PATHWAY FOR LIFEGUARDS FROM MIXED CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS 

15th December 2017 - LEADING PROFESSIONAL LIFEGUARD SAYS SWIM BETWEEN FLAGS MESSAGE IS ‘DESIRABLE BUT UNREALISTIC’

14th December 2017 - SURF LIFE SAVING AUSTRALIA REVEALS 116 COASTAL DROWNING DEATHS IN 2016/17 

4th December 2017 - REPORT REVEALS 20% RISE IN DROWNING DEATHS IN VICTORIA IN 2016/17

4th May 2017 - MULTI MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET FUNDING BOOST FOR VICTORIAN WATER SAFETY INITIATIVES

14th March 2017 - LIFE SAVING VICTORIA CONCERNED BY RISING DROWNING TOLL

15th February 2016 - ROYAL LIFE SAVING HELPS NEW VICTORIAN ARRIVALS TO SWIM AND SURVIVE 

20th May 2014 - VICTORIA’S ‘PLAY IT SAFE BY THE WATER’ CAMPAIGN TARGETS TODDLER DROWNING RISK