Costa Tropical beaches have brought the summer season to a close with a positive assessment of the lifesaving, first-aid and visitor support services

The councillor for beaches, Lucía González, highlighted the “very positive outcome” of the season, which, she noted, “shows that we are continuing to make progress in terms of the quality and service we offer on our beaches”. González pointed out the strengthening of the lifeguard and rescue services, as well as the introduction of new services, such as assisted swimming for people with reduced mobility and the cleaning and maintenance work carried out.

“This summer we have taken a further step towards making our beaches safer, more accessible and better maintained. The figures on visitor numbers, accessible toilets, waste collected and water quality checks reflect the work that goes into a scheme that runs throughout the season,” she said.

González thanked the work of the beach staff and the coordination with the Local Police, Guardia Civil, Civil Protection and the fire service, saying that “behind these results are many people working every day and a level of coordination that is essential to ensuring we can provide an adequate service both to our residents and to the thousands of visitors who enjoy the beaches of Almuñécar and La Herradura”.

 Lifesaving and first aid during the summer 

The lifesaving and first-aid service had a staff of 45 and remained operational until 10 September, ten days longer than last year. The operation was spread across six rescue posts in La Herradura, Marina del Este, San Cristóbal, Puerta del Mar and Velilla, with rescue boats, jet skis, two ambulances and defibrillators, as well as support from the Local Police, the Guardia Civil, Civil Protection and the fire service.

These resources were supplemented by a drone-based aerial surveillance service, which has strengthened surveillance and rescue operations, as well as the monitoring of coastal areas. Over the summer, the system recorded around a hundred potential infringements, mainly relating to the navigation of boats and jetskis. Thanks to this system, ten reports of regulatory breaches were processed in July alone.

 Most accessible beaches  

The town hall employed four professionals dedicated exclusively to the assisted swimming service, which was complemented by the installation of new retractable walkways at four of the five main lifeguard stations: Puerta del Mar, San Cristóbal, La Herradura and Velilla. These walkways enabled users to cross the final stretch of sand or pebbles and reach the water’s edge.

 Over 4,000 kilos of waste removed from the sea  

Cleaning up the coastline has also been part of the beach management programme this summer. Two boats and two crew members worked throughout the season to remove litter from the water’s surface, clocking up 52 days of service and collecting a total of 4,160 kilos of litter.

For ten days during the season, the boats were unable to set out due to bad weather. This figure represents a 38.7 per cent increase on the previous summer, when nearly 3,000 kilos of floating waste were collected.

 Excellent water quality 

Health checks carried out during the season by the Andalusian regional government have shown that the sea off Almuñécar and La Herradura is of excellent microbiological quality.

The municipality also holds five Blue Flags alongside five ‘Q’ marks for Tourism Quality, five ‘S’ marks for Tourism Sustainability and six ISO 14001 Environmental Management certifications. In addition to these accolades, the municipality has recently passed the external audit on the quality of its beach services, which has enabled it to renew this accreditation in Cantarriján, La Herradura, San Cristóbal, Puerta del Mar, Velilla and Marina del Este.

This assessment certifies compliance with the established standards relating to management, maintenance, cleanliness, safety, accessibility and customer service, as well as the improvements made to the beach facilities and equipment.

Read comprehensive news from the Costa Tropical.