Lifeguards Train for Summer Safety

With summer just a few months away and the promise of a busy season on Cornish beaches, hundreds of trainee lifeguards are heading to Cornwall to learn vital surf rescue skills.

The new recruits will undergo intensive training at the world renowned National Lifeguard Training Centre at Lusty Glaze Beach in Newquay, before taking up positions as lifeguards in Cornwall, across the country and all over the world.

The centre, which is part of Cornwall College, has earned a reputation as the leading provider of beach lifeguard training courses in this country and has helped to put Cornwall on the national lifesaving map.

Each year the centre receives applications from across Britain and abroad from potential lifesavers keen to gain their Beach Lifeguard Award at Lusty Glaze.

The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) backed qualification is an essential requirement for working as a lifeguard or surf coach on British beaches and is valid in many countries worldwide.

There are plenty of other places to gain the qualification but Newquay remains popular because of the challenging sea conditions around and the excellent bathing and surfing beaches, where many of them find employment after qualification.

Dave Whelan, Training Centre Programme Manager, commented: “As one of the UK’s biggest beach resorts, it’s only natural that Newquay should lead the way in beach lifeguard training. We’re proud that we put so many people through their training and into careers on beaches in Cornwall and beyond.”

Lifeguarding is a tough job and this is reflected in the content of the course. Although it is open to anyone, trainees must be physically fit and strong swimmers. But the course is not purely physical, as students must learn about sea safety, rescue techniques and a range of medical conditions, on which they will be examined at the end of the course.

Although many successful trainees go on to become beach lifeguards, the Beach Lifeguard Award is also required to work at British Surfing Association (BSA) approved surf schools. The Training Centre runs a combined course that allows students to qualify as a beach lifeguard and surf coach at the same time.

“The tourism and surf industries rely on people coming down to Cornwall to have fun and stay safe,” said Dave Whelan. “Beach lifeguards are the unsung heroes of these industries, working hard day in and day out to patrol beaches and save lives. It’s important that we continue to deliver quality training courses locally to produce the next generation of heroes on our beaches.”

The Beach Lifeguard Award is also a great stepping stone into other careers in the outdoors and emergency services, and many students progress on to further and higher education courses at Cornwall College centre. From September, lifeguards will have the option to join the new Rescue and Emergency Management foundation degree at the Lusty Glaze campus.

Dave Whelan added: “The award is often only a starting point. Many of our graduate lifeguards have moved on to become activity instructors, paramedics and search and rescue professionals, among other roles. It opens doors to a whole range of exciting new careers.”

* There are a few more spaces available on the Beach Lifeguard course this season. For more information or to book a place, please contact the National Lifeguard Training Centre on 01637 879642.