Council looks to improve lifesaving
Gosford Council is looking at ways to improve the coverage of the Lifeguard Service.
Council's director of works said: "In comparison to other councils and given our area's increasing population growth and high tourist influx throughout the year, Gosford Council's lifeguard staffing levels are below an optimal standard".
Ocean Beach is currently staffed by one council lifeguard five days a week from 9am to 5.30pm and by two lifeguards in the Christmas school holiday period from 9am to 6pm.
Umina Beach has similar staffing levels.
These times are flexible and can be changed due to surf conditions and so forth.
Volunteer lifeguards patrol the beaches on the weekends.
Ettalong Beach, Pearl Beach and Patonga Beach are not patrolled.
The director said that although the staffing levels were below optimum, the training and equipment levels of the local service were well above the minimum standards required by state legislation.
He said council's options to increase the lifeguard coverage include the use of closed circuit monitoring of non patrolled areas and the freeing of funds from other areas of council's budget to increase staff levels.
Carl Spears, December 16