Conditional commitment on lifeguards
Report downplays lifeguards, but minister says beach supervision could happen next summer
Laura Busch
Northern News Services
Published Friday, October 25, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
"If it is going to make Fred Henne Beach safer, there will be lifeguards at that beach next summer," Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister David Ramsay pledged in the legislative assembly yesterday.
That's likely welcome news to many Yellowknifers who questioned why lifeguard services came to an end at Long Lake 11 years ago, although Ramsay later added that the decision on whether or not lifeguards are needed at the beach has yet to be finalized.
"It's not just putting lifeguards on the beach. You have to look at the swimming area, hours of operation, access, a whole myriad of different things - and we are going to do that over the winter. We are going to make sure that we get it right," he said.
"If it's determined that lifeguards should be put in place at Fred Henne, they will be there next summer."
Patrick Scott, grandfather of seven-year-old Lodune Shelley who drowned at the popular beach on Long Lake last June, was in the assembly yesterday, along with Lodune's mother and grandmother, to hear the minister respond to questions.
"It's always emotional when we're brought back to June 27. It's really hard to try to reflect on that day and all it did," he said. "I have to say, I'm relieved that the minister made the commitment to put lifeguards at Fred Henne Beach and I hope that gets said over and over and over again in the next few months so he can't forget that he said it."
An 89-page report from the Lifesaving Society's recent audit of beach safety at Fred Henne came out yesterday. It makes 35 recommendations to improve safety, but initiating lifeguard supervision is not specifically cited as one of them.
Scott maintained that having lifeguards is the primary concern at that beach, and found all of the report's recommendations secondary.
"The (Lifesaving Society), although they make a general comment that their recommendation is that beaches have lifeguards, in this specific case they didn't make that recommendation in this report and I think that's regretful."
Six members of the citizen group Lifeguards for Lodune were also at the legislature yesterday, and had mixed reactions on the results of the safety audit.
"I'm glad that safety equipment is going to be made available," said Tanya Silke.
David Silke said the audit report should have examined providing lifeguards at the beach, but "every little bit helps."
If there are still no lifeguards on the beach next summer, the group pledged to be back patrolling the beach, despite liability concerns raised this year.
Putting lifeguards on the beach will be the subject of another assessment commissioned from the Lifesaving Society by the Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment (ITI), which should be available early next year, said Kelly Kaylo, assistant deputy minister, programs and operations with ITI.
The public is welcome to provide feedback on both of these reports, and public sessions will be organized in the spring to discuss what actions the department will take in anticipation of the 2014 swimming season.
The safety audit report cost the department $6,000 and makes four priority recommendations, four "primary" recommendations and 27 secondary recommendations on how to improve safety at the Long Lake Beach.
These include providing emergency equipment at the beach, including a reaching pole and throwing aid for rescues, and plenty of "easy to read, accessible" signage on water safety and hazards, said Kaylo.
"If we implement those, we definitely will make the beachfront safer. And that definitely is the goal," she said.
The department has accepted all recommendations in the report and is now putting together an action plan, which should be available in February.
What's in the report
Four priority recommendations:
- Establish a regular schedule for testing swim area for bacteria with the Department of Health and Social Services.
- Make safety equipment available at the beach, including a reaching pole and a buoyant throwing aid.
- Install signs identifying hazards, stating that children require supervision, pointing to where safety equipment is located, posting emergency phone numbers, and laying out safety rules and rules for using the beach.
- Providing emergency phones at the beach access points.
Four "primary" recommendations:
- Establishing procedures for closing the beach, when necessary.
- Establishing procedures to close the boat launch facility, when necessary.
- Changing the existing buoy line, which does "not meet the requirements set out by Transport Canada to prohibit motorized watercraft or identify a swimming area."
- Post location of the emergency phone at the beach front.
27 secondary recommendations, including:
- Training campground staff and parks officers in emergency procedures related to water rescue.
- Creating a safety and supervision plan for beach and boat launch use.
- Creating a system to track and map incidents that occur at the beach.
- Creating a communication system between the beach and park staff.
- Installing "no swimming" and "No Jumping/Diving - Rocks Below" signs on the North East end of the beach, where members of the public often jump off the rocks.
- Post admission policies, such as "No Lifeguard on Duty, bathers under 12 years of age are not allowed in the water unless supervised by a parent or adult at least 16 years of age."
- Establish documented safety inspections of the beach, much like what is currently done with the inspection of playground equipment at the park.
- Make soap available in the washrooms.
Source: The Lifesaving Society's Fred Henne Beach Aquatic Safety Audit
