ISLANDERS are being warned to avoid rip currents and reminded to call 999 if they see someone in trouble in the sea, as their actions could be ‘the difference between life and death’.
The advice follows World Drowning Prevention Day, recently marked by Jersey Coastguard, which saw officers share sea safety messages and highlight the important role of lifebuoys around the Island.
RNLI lifeguards – who patrol Grève de Lecq, Plémont, St Brelade and St Ouen – recorded 329 incidents last year. During that time they responded to people caught in rip currents, which are strong currents that flow out to sea from the shore.
During the first half of this year Jersey Coastguard has responded to 86 incidents, 26 of which involved helping people out of the water.
Jake Elms, lead lifeguard RNLI supervisor, said: ‘The rip currents are pretty strong at the moment – we’ve not been doing too many rescues as the weather has been pretty shocking, but [with] the next heatwave, if there’s a bit of surf, there will be a lot going on.’
He explained that St Ouen’s Bay was one of Jersey’s rip current ‘hotspots’.
‘We have put signage out in the worst areas just warning people where it is not a safe place to swim.
‘We would like to remind people to swim between the red-and-yellow flags – which is the area marked out as the safest for swimming. If you need any information on how to stay safe at the beach, or for updates on the conditions, please speak to our qualified lifeguards, who are always happy to help,’ he added.
As reported by the BBC, an inquest into the deaths of two children at a beach in Bournemouth earlier this year heard that they were thought to have been caught in a rip current near a pier.
Coastguard and vessel traffic service officer Luke de la Haye said: ‘There are many things we can all do to minimise the risk of drowning, and if you are worried about someone who’s in trouble in the water, just call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. We investigate all reports we receive, and you could be making the difference between life and death.’
What to do if you get caught in a rip current:
Stay calm, don’t panic
Don’t try to swim against the flow, or you will get exhausted.
If you can stand, wade. Don’t swim.
If you can, swim parallel to the shore until free of the rip current and then head for shore.
Always raise your hand and shout for help.
