Mission Statement: to assist the integration of foreign residents living in Spain
By Anna Ellis • Published: 08 Oct 2024 • 8:41 • 2 minutes read
Image: Salvamento Playas Alicante / Facebook.
During the high summer season, the lifeguard service in Alicante recorded a total of 3,276 medical assists and 75 water rescues across several beaches.
The beaches falling under Alicante’s umbrella include Postiguet, San Juan I, San Juan II, Albufereta, Almadraba, Urbanova, and San Gabriel.
Most incidents in the water were attributed to the carelessness of bathers, particularly on days when the yellow flag was raised.
These days often concealed the potential for currents, leading to situations where bathers overestimated their safety.
Lifeguards noted, “Many people are overly confident and struggle to exit the water due to the currents, but fortunately, our interventions typically prevent serious consequences.”
Regarding health issues, this summer saw a low incidence of jellyfish stings.
Lifeguards reported a few cases involving common species like the carnation and compass jellyfish.
While some fried egg jellyfish were spotted, their low toxicity did not lead to complications.
There were also reports of spider fish stings on the shore, but these did not result in serious issues.
On the sand, in addition to jellyfish stings, cuts, and bruises, only two serious incidents were recorded, both resolved positively.
One involved a baby experiencing convulsions due to fever, who was treated by SAMU, and the other concerned a woman whose paddle surfboard capsised, resulting in a deep cut on her leg.
She required hospital treatment after initial care at the first aid station.
Notably, there were no reported fatalities on the city’s beaches.
Ana Poquet, the Councillor for Tourism, praised the Lifeguard and Rescue Service for their dedication to ensuring the safety of all beachgoers.
She emphasised the importance of adhering to lifeguard instructions and flag signals to enjoy the beach safely.
The high season for the Lifeguard and Rescue Service ran from June 1 to September 15, operating daily from 10:00.AM until 8:00.PM.
The low season has since begun, with services available at Postiguet and San Juan II on weekends until October 31.
San Juan Beach recorded the highest number of lifeguard actions, with 1,300 assists and 37 aquatic rescues.
Postiguet followed with 700 medical assists and 20 water rescues, while Tabarca had 530 assists without any rescues.
Albufereta and Almadraba each recorded 424 medical assists and three rescues, Urbanova had 310 assists with 15 rescues, and San Gabriel Beach provided 12 assists in its first year of service, without any rescues.
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Originally from Derbyshire, UK, Anna has lived in the middle of nowhere on the Costa Blanca for 20 years.
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