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Rainbow Beach Surf Lifesaving Club senior members Matt Pascoe and Mike English in action during the proficiency day last Sunday.

Craig Warhurst

SENIOR members of the Rainbow Beach Surf Lifesaving Club are ready to continue their vital work on the beach after a proficiency day last weekend.

The proficiency day was held for half a day last Sunday and aimed to review the skills of all seniors engaged in lifesaving duties on Rainbow Beach’s main beach.

The session was timely given the warming weather and increase in crowds heading to the beach for a weekend escape.

Rainbow Beach Surf Lifesaving Club member spokesperson Shane Handy said the day went well.

“Everyone went well and the club was overall very happy,” he said.

Various lifesaving skills came under the microscope in the review, including fitness and mock rescue situations using typical lifesaving equipment.

The senior members of the Rainbow Beach Surf Lifesaving Club carry a huge responsibility in helping to keep the beach safe over summer.

The Queensland Government’s website reports Queensland beaches attract a staggering 30 million visitations each year.

With so many people enjoying the sun, surf and sand, rescues can be, unfortunately, a common sight – particularly for Queensland’s many foreign tourists who are overly represented in drowning statistics.

During a period of time between 2007 and 2008, 2919 rescues were performed by carefully trained lifesavers.

This statistic alone highlights the importance of the job by the volunteer lifesavers.

Meanwhile, members of the community wishing to become involved with lifesaving will have a chance next January when another bronze medallion course is held.

The course will cover all theory and practical applications of lifesaving, and is well supported by the Rainbow Beach community.

Interested persons are encouraged to contact Shane Handy on 0408 626 722 for additional information.