Four lifeguards will be deployed at each of the 17 beaches that are supervised across Barbados.

This assurance has come from management of the National Conservation Commission (NCC), who said that beaches supervised by lifeguards were: Bath; Batts Rock; Brandons; Browne???s Beach South; Browne???s Beach North; Dover; Enterprise; Folkestone; Greaves End; Heywoods; Hilton (Needham???s Point); Holetown; Maxwell (Casuarina); Rockley; Royal Pavilion; Bathsheba, and the Crane.

In a statement issued yesterday, the NCC pointed out that as part of Government???s structural adjustment programme, the number of lifeguards prior to April 30, stood at 94, but was reduced to 66 following the retrenchment of 28 persons.

???There are four senior lifeguards who will be reassigned to reinforce the existing lifeguard compliment at the 17 lifeguard supervised beaches, bringing the total to 70 lifeguards. This, in effect, will enable the deployment of four lifeguards to each of the existing supervised beaches,??? the statement said.

However, the management of the NCC is also urging beach users to adhere to the instructions given by lifeguards and to observe the flags posted warning them of possible or imminent danger.

A yellow flag warns that sea conditions are risky, and caution should be exercised when swimming, while a red flag indicates that there should be no swimming at all and persons should avoid going into the water.

The statement also reminded parents and guardians to be vigilant while their children or wards were in the water or on the beach, whether or not the beach was supervised by a lifeguard.

In addition, members of the public are also being advised to learn the water safety codes, be aware of the water hazards that include rocks, strong currents, larger breakers and tides.

Sea bathers are also being cautioned not to go swimming alone at unsupervised beaches. Popular beaches which are not supervised by lifeguards include Silver Sands Beach; Foul Bay Beach; Bottom Bay Beach; River Bay, Barclays Park and Morgan Lewis Beach.

The Lifeguard Service is administered by the NCC and was established over 35 years ago with the primary responsibility of promoting a safe environment for all users of the beaches in Barbados.

julia.rawlins-bentham@barbados.gov.bb

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