Lifeguard Appreciation Day Celebrated In Westmeath

The event took place on the August Bank Holiday weekend.

International Lifeguard Appreciation Day was celebrated in Athlone for the first time with a large cake shared at the end of Swim Week. The August Bank Holiday Swim Week is the third and final Water Safety Week of the year and is an intensive five day course that focuses on water safety and rescue skills which forms the basis of all lifeguarding courses.

Young participants are put through their paces in recognising obstacles, dangers and rescue equipment available in different scenarios. Young rescuers learn the basis of personal safety, keeping a safe distance and only entering the water as a last resort.

As the start of Water Safety Week coincided with International Lifeguard Appreciation Day on July 31, a 14” cake was organised with a picture of the Local Area Committee of Water Safety Ireland, and dished out to the young attendees as well as their instructors, lifeguards and staff.

Sponsored by SuperValu on the Ballymahon Road, it marked the occasion with those who may wish to go on to become lifeguards themselves in the future.

Nationally beach lifeguards provided 316 rescues and reunited 245 lost children with their families while treating over 6,200 first-aid incidents onsite.

There were over 2,200 candidates certified as beach and pool lifeguards this year and while Westmeath Water Safety doesn’t currently provide Beach Lifeguard courses, they do teach Water Safety, Rescue, and the National Pool Lifeguard Award.

Speaking with his mouth full, Chairperson of Westmeath Water Safety Morgan Fagg, thanked SuperValu for sponsoring the cake, and emphasised his special thanks to Westmeath’s Honorary Chairperson Gerry Flannery who has trained so many of Westmeath’s lifeguards, swim teachers and instructors over the years, and oversaw over 30 participants training for Water Safety this week as well as one new Assistant Instructor.