MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday, 30 November 2011

Club receives helping hand from Horizons

Keeping people safe in the water this summer just got easier with Horizons Regional Council getting behind the Palmerston North Surf Lifesaving Club with some much needed funding.

The Palmerston North club had been struggling to secure enough funds to provide paid patrols during the week at popular Manawatu beach Himatangi but, thanks to the help of Horizons, the beach will be manned each day over the busy summer period.

The funding from Horizons tops up the annual grant the Club has received for many years from the Manawatu District Council to provide the Monday to Friday paid life guard service. This complements the volunteer patrols the Palmerston North Surf life Saving Club has been providing at Himatangi since 1959.

"The extra dollars from Horizons this year is a life-saver," said Alec Mackay from the Surf Club.

"It will ensure patrols continue over the very busy summer months while a long-term funding model for the paid life guard service is developed."

Beaches are part and parcel of the great kiwi summer but they also pose a risk with 18 people having drowned at New Zealand beaches in 2010.

In the 2010-11 year there were 13 rescues by surf life guards at Himatangi and 115 preventions. At the height of summer there can be 2500- 5000 people on the beach.

Horizons chairman Bruce Gordon said that the club provided a critical service to the Manawatu community and its visitors and he was happy his council could get behind them.

“Managing the region’s coasts is one of our roles as a regional council and part of that means making sure people can get out there and enjoy the great beaches our region offers,” said Mr Gordon.

“But it’s important that they can do so safely. Our life guards, both paid and voluntary, do a fantastic job of patrolling our local beaches and as a community we need to support them.”

Horizons monitors the quality of the water at seven popular swimming beaches throughout the region including Himatangi.

Samples are taken weekly and results are posted on the council’s website
www.horizons.govt.nz. Himatangi has a permanent rating of ‘good’ but swimmers were encouraged to check out the website for the latest sampling results.

“Himatangi is a great beach and the quality of the water is consistently good," said Mr Gordon "But like most beaches that have rivers which flow into them, if it’s been raining then silt and run-off can affect the clarity and quality of the water so it’s best to give it a day or two to clear before hitting the surf."

The paid life guard service funded by the Manawatu District Council and Horizons will start on the 19th December and run until the end of January. Each weekday three paid life guards will be on the beach from 11.00am to 6.00pm

Volunteer patrols at Himatangi start this weekend (3rd December) and operate between 12 noon and 5 pm each Saturday and Sunday through to the end of March. The life guards are organised into three patrol teams. Each patrol is made up of 9 lifeguards, with the range of skills, including first aid, IRB, board and tube.

In addition to the volunteers the club runs a junior surf program which also starts this weekend. Under 14s who are keen to become life guards are welcome to go along and find out more.

Swimmers are reminded to listen to the life guards and stay between the flags. If in doubt ask the life guards, they are there to help.

ENDS

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