Local students trained as lifeguards

Lifeguards received uniforms from the mayor at the Plett Lifesaving Club, where they are trained through the Municipal Lifeguard Training Programme.

For the first time, the full complement of lifeguards – 54 in total – on Plettenberg Bay beaches are local.

Uniforms were handed to the lifeguards and nippers participating in the Municipal Lifeguard Training Programme by Executive Mayor Lulama Mvimbi at a function held at the Plett Lifesaving Club, where they are based.

The uniforms were donated by Kodak.

Aquatic Services conducts the training programme, which has had mayoral support for many years. Under the programme, candidate lifeguards are sourced from local schools, especially from the disadvantaged communities.

Over the past four years, three local high schools – Murray High, Plett Secondary and Wittedrift – have been visited each January. A presentation has been made to students who are over the age of 16, to become involved in the Municipal Lifeguard Training Programme, and to qualify with a Surf Proficiency Award.

The course takes about a year, with six months of swimming. Once the swimming course has been completed, the practical course begins in September. Candidates learn first aid, rescue techniques, and job duty and beach protection.

They swim each morning, from 6am to 7am, and every lifeguard is required to take and pass a swimming re-test every year. First-year candidates must attend course work two to three times a week after school for two hours each session, and every Saturday and Sunday from October to November.

Along with qualified candidates from the previous year, they are tested by outside examiners from Lifesaving South Africa. Qualified lifeguards are teamed with less-experienced guards and stationed at various beaches.

The training has finally proved to be successful, becoming a continuous programme. Students join the Plett Lifesaving Club as nippers and progress to qualified lifeguards. The lifesaving club, together with the NSRI, has contributed to the programme, helping it to become sustainable.

Also present at the uniform handover were Eaun Wildeman, a mayoral committee member; Thomas Nqolo, the director of administration; and the manager of beaches, Mark Fourie.

Chas Fraser’s Aquatic Services is a local company with extensive experience in coaching competitive swimming and training lifeguards from entry level to full qualification with a Surf Proficiency Award.