The lineup of Mijas lifeguards for this summer on La Cala beach. SUR

Hundreds to patrol Costa beaches as resorts get ready for the season

Marbella, Mijas and Vélez-Málaga are among the local councils announcing plans for lifeguards this summer

J. DUEÑAS / E. CABEZAS / N. HESKETH

COSTA DEL SOL.

Friday, 3 June 2022, 11:45

With the arrival of June, local councils have been presenting their plans this week for keeping beaches clean and safe from now on and over the summer months. As usual, extra teams of lifeguards, maintenance and security have been recruited.

Marbella town hall announced it is upping safety on the town's beaches with more than a hundred personnel. The councillor in charge of safety, José Eduardo Díaz, held a coordination meeting with the resort's emergency services last Friday to decide on responsibilities and how the operation will work.

Marbella gets more towers

The councillor explained, "It is a very large and varied team which will be deployed at the most important points, drawing on experience from the pandemic." Díaz went on to say that the service "is on alert throughout the year, but between early June and late September it is ramped up due to a greater influx of visitors".

Eighteen lifeguard towers will be installed along the 27 kilometres of coastline, three more than last season, the council said.

Civil Protection will provide 57 volunteers, with boats and three jet skis, as well as personnel who will carry out surveillance by bicycle along Marbella and San Pedro promenades. There will be extra firefighters and police throughout the summer as well.

Mijas ready for summer

Councillor for Beaches in Mijas, José Carlos Martín, launched his town hall's plans for the summer on La Cala beach on Wednesday. Mijas will have 83 lifeguards on its 14 kilometres of shoreline. Mijas will also bring back its drone for beach surveillance, which was very effective last year.

The 22 kilometres of Vélez-Málaga shoreline also have extra security from this week made up of up to 50 lifeguards, six more than in 2021. There are also two rapid response vehicles with defibrillators and oxygen equipment; an ambulance; two jet skis; a drone and two patrol boats.

Depending on local council area and exact month, summer lifeguard coverage times will vary, starting usually between 10.30am to 12pm and running to between 6.30pm and 8pm.