Huge year for Waimarama surf lifesavers

Waimarama lifeguard Sam Lucy surveys the surf from earlier this year. Photo Supplied

Waimarama lifeguards know that their roles don't include running in slow motion along the beach with a rescue tube under their arm.

The hard reality is that they can be dealing with a life threatening situation at a moment's notice.

This past summer has been challenging for the lifeguards, with the beach plagued by easterly and north easterly winds and large swells.

This caused constant rips running up and down the beach and a dangerous channel catching many 'beach goers' unaware, which in turn meant it has been a very busy season with a high number of rescues and assists both during and outside of patrol hours.

This year so far, 92 volunteer lifeguards have completed over 3700 volunteer patrol hours, performed 15 rescues, assisted 38 people out of a dangerous situation in the water, completed a staggering 712 preventative actions, performed 18 first aids – ranging from a suspected spinal injury to an allergic reaction to a blue bottle sting - and 2 searches.

Lifeguards are also often the first response for injuries and medical events in the community when something happens at Waimarama.

Earlier this year the club experienced a drowning at Waimarama outside its patrol hours.

Nine lifeguards were on the scene of this tragedy within minutes of the alarm going off.

They assisted the rescuers and patients out of the water and performed CPR on the drowning victim for over 20 minutes. For some of our lifeguards that was one of three drownings that they attended in Hawke's Bay that week, and it was a sobering reality for all of our members that someone lost their life on our beach.

The message to the people who come to swim on Waimarama Beach is very simple – swim within your limits, don't swim in clothing, but most importantly swim between the flags.

As with many essential volunteer services its greatest challenge is ensuring it has sufficient funding available to keep our operations running and allowing us to continue to patrol the beach every weekend from early November to the end of March each year.

A club spokesperson said she was "delighted that Rotary Havelock North have recognised the service we provide and have chosen to support Waimarama Surf Lifesaving Club for this year's Country 2 Coast event to be held on the Sunday 29th April.

"The funds raised from this event will contribute towards the costs for us to provide patrols on Waimarama Beach next summer."

People can also show support by either making a donation on the givealittle page givealittle.co.nz/org/waimaramasurflifesavingclub

* See country2coast.co.nz for more information.