Local lifeguards show off their lifesaving skills as they prepare for summer

Their training is complete, sunscreen has been applied and the City of Barrie lifeguards are officially ready to take up their posts atop the towers for another summer on the city’s beaches.

About 30 lifeguards, as well as members of Barrie Fire and Emergency Services (BFES), Simcoe County Paramedics and Barrie Police, participated in a rescue demonstration at Centennial Beach on Thursday, where lifeguards completed a rescue of drowning victims , with BFES responding and deploying. their technical rescue team on site.

Madison Campbell, one of the lead lifeguards on the beach this summer, said 2024 will be her fifth summer as part of the city’s lifeguard team.

Campbell says that in addition to allowing him to get outside, the job also gives him the opportunity to provide a service to the community and keep swimmers safe.

Although she previously worked as a lifeguard at one of the city’s pools, lifeguarding at the beach comes with some unique challenges, she said.

“It has a lot of different environments that we can deal with. The pool is a controlled environment where you can see everything, whereas the beach is a little more unpredictable,” Campbell said. “It’s really nice to be alert and use your quick thinking skills while working in this area. .”

This summer, Tiernan Hayes, 17, will be the first summer lifeguard at one of Barrie’s three beaches, having also worked at a city pool for just over a year.

“I figured I might as well give the beach a shot,” he said. “I’m looking forward to being in a different environment. I feel like when you are at the beach there are a lot more conditions than just the pool. It takes a lot of attention and that’s what I’m excited to take into account.”

Hayes says he expects all of the city’s beaches to be extremely busy this summer, but he’s confident the lifeguards will have no problem handling whatever comes their way, especially after the extensive training they’ve been put through to follow it before following. their posts on June 28.

“Last year, we worked a triathlon at Wasaga Beach… There were many emergencies and we had to do several rescues. That helped me prepare. It’s a scary job, but I feel like someone has to do it, and I’m happy to be one of those people.”

Campbell says lifeguarding is also a great way to meet people.

“You make a lot of friends, even the beach patrons you make friends with. It’s really nice to have somewhere to come back to every summer. It’s a great job,” she said.

Although she was never involved in any of the major rescues that occurred on one of the city’s beaches, Campbell participated in several non-fatal rescues, paddling in and helping swimmers back to safety, she admitted.

If she could offer any advice to beachgoers this summer, it would be that “if you don’t know, ask.”

“We’ve got a pretty bad descent here at the beach. It’s marked by clusters of buoys and goes from about 6 feet to 20 feet,” Campbell said. “If you don’t know something or really don’t know where you should be swimming … don’t hesitate to ask the lifeguards. We’re friendly faces around here and love to answer questions and make sure everyone is swimming safely.”

As a veteran lifeguard, Campbell says she’s excited to work with some of the team that will hit the sand for the first time this summer, noting that while the role can be serious, it’s important to have a little fun while doing it. also.

“Enjoy it. It’s a short season and it’s a lot of fun. Take the time to have a good summer, make friends and have fun,” she said.

Thursday’s demonstration served as a good way to kick off the 2024 beach season and showcase the skills the team has, explained Nick Selkirk, Allandale Beaches and Recreation Center Programmer.

“We are very excited today. We have to bring a lot of skills and work cross-departmentally with Barrie Fire and the police … retrieving a ‘victim’ and doing our dive procedure,” he said. “We’ve had the opportunity to work together over the last week and a half, so we’ve been able to address any questions that anyone might have.

“We worked together seamlessly and (we were) able to get comfortable with each other’s equipment and get comfortable with how each department operates and reacts to different situations,” Selkirk added.

Lifeguards are on duty seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Centennial Beach and Johnson’s Beach — as well as Tyndale Beach for summer camps — starting June 28, he noted.

“We are very excited and expect a lot of people. We see guests coming from all over … (and) our numbers grow every year and this year, with the warm weather we’re expecting, we’re set for another very busy summer,” Selkirk said.

Minet’s Point Beach (10 Lismer Blvd.) and Tyndale Beach (45 Tyndale Rd.) do not have lifeguards. Parents and guardians are always reminded that children need direct supervision at the beach. Always practice water safety.