Surf lifeguards around the country are preparing themselves for what could be the busiest lifesaving season on record as New Zealanders face a summer without the option of overseas holidays.
Covid-19 travel restrictions mean many Kiwis will be planning "staycations" this summer and SLSNZ volunteer lifeguards are encouraging beachgoers to familiarise themselves with key safety messages.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) chief executive Paul Dalton says the charity's volunteer lifeguards are passionate, highly-skilled individuals who pride themselves on keeping people safe at the beach. However, he cautions that it's not possible for surf life savers to be everywhere at once.
"Our surf lifeguards do an extraordinary job – they conduct hundreds of rescues and perform thousands of preventative actions on our beaches every year," he says.
"However, we're anticipating this summer to be incredibly busy. Tragically, we have already seen two fatalities in the last fortnight alone as people get out and enjoy the coastal environment. We're asking New Zealanders to do their part by choosing to go to lifeguarded beaches, and always swim between the red and yellow flags."