The BVI Fire Services Chief Fire Officer Zebalon McLean has again called for serious attention to be given to the dangerous shortage of lifeguards employed to patrol the Territory’s beaches.
This has been a long-standing issue in the Territory, spanning over a decade, with worrying recent statistics only adding to the seriousness of the matter.
He spoke during the recent Standing Finance Committee (SFC) meetings.
ONLY 2 LIFEGUARDS TO COVER THE ENTIRE TERRITORY
When lifeguard duties transferred to the Fire Service in 2019, McLean explained there were only two staff – one supervisor and one lifeguard – for the entire Territory. Nothing has changed since then.
Prior to the transfer, lifeguards sat within the Conservation and Fisheries Department. In the 2019 Report on the Deliberations of the Standing Finance Committee, Acting Chief Conservation Officer Kelvin Penn told the Committee that the lifeguard programme, which had gone from 12 personnel to 2, was impacted by budgetary constraints.
Mclean shared that there have been attempts to increase from just two lifeguards but staffing remains extremely inadequate.
The two lifeguards alternate between beaches assessed as highest risk – Josiah’s Bay and Smuggler’s Cove, and occasionally visit other beaches.
Mclean told the SFC that the Fire Service has submitted annual reports to illustrate all the dangers that are associated with lifeguarding and how understaffed they are and the request they are making for staff.
Additionally, lifeguards have created a separate document highlighting “the dangers and the risks and the futility of having only two on staff.”
When asked by the Deputy Speaker if lifeguards are mandated for beaches, McLean could not confirm but reiterated positions need immediate filling.
He stated at minimum 12 additional lifeguard hires are required to properly patrol BVI beaches.
MORE VISITORS; GREATER RISK
McLean made clear to the SFC the untenable risks posed by lifeguard understaffing.
It is generally recommended to have at least one lifeguard per 20 – 25 swimmers at beaches.
With more tourists flocking to the territory’s most dangerous beaches, the risk of drownings and injuries rises substantially without proper supervision.
A report by the Sister Islands Unit of the Office of the Deputy Governor that was leaked to the press in January 2023, reflected on the worrying situation surrounding a lack of lifeguards at The Baths National Park.
“In 2022, Virgin Islands Fire and Rescue confirmed over thirty emergency calls at The Baths National Park. Seeing sometimes over 1,000 guests a day on cruise ship call days, it is imperative that lifeguards are placed at this location when the National Park is open. However, there was a full plan developed for this program, but never implemented due to a lack of resources”, the report said.
The international community has also reflected on the matter in various forums.
One instance is found on the BVI’s Wikipedia page which states “Unusually, the territory has one of the highest drowning mortality rates in the world, being higher than other high-risk countries such as China and India. 20% of deaths in the British Virgin Islands during 2012 were recorded as drownings, all of them being tourists. Despite this, the territory’s most popular beach still has no lifeguard presence.”