News release

Beach Supervision Resumes on Saturday

Office of Health Promotion (Jan. 2003 - May 2005)

Summer beach supervision resumes this weekend at 19 Nova Scotia beaches. Beginning Saturday, June 28, the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service begins its 31st year of operation.

"Nova Scotians love to get out and enjoy our many beautiful beaches and knowing that there are highly trained lifeguards on site greatly adds to the experience," said Rodney MacDonald, Minister of Health Promotion. "We want a day at the beach to be memorable for all the right reasons and we hope everyone plays and swims safe this summer."

It is estimated that 500,000 people visit supervised beaches each year. Lifeguards are involved in about 100 rescues and help prevent countless more injuries each season. In 2002, lifeguards made more than 8,500 interventions on supervised beaches. Since the lifeguard service began, there have been no drownings at serviced beaches during its hours of supervision.

"Based on my 29 years of experience in lifeguarding, the best safety advice is still to swim between the flags on supervised beaches, watch children closely, and use good common sense in and around the water," said Paul D'Eon, director of the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service.

More than 60 lifeguards, many of whom are university students from around Nova Scotia, attend an intensive, four-day training camp prior to the start of the season. All are certified in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), standard first aid and hold their National Lifeguard Service (NLS) award.

The Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service is engaged in the Connected for Safety program with Aliant. The program supplies lifeguards and supervisors with cellular phones to enhance emergency response time at the beach.

The Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service is a joint project of the Office of Health Promotion, Sport and Recreation Division, which provides funding, and the Lifesaving Society, Nova Scotia Branch, which is responsible for operations.

The following beaches are supervised from June 28 to Aug. 24, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily:

Cape Breton:

  • Dominion Beach
  • Indian Beach
  • Mira Gut Beach
  • Port Hood Beach
  • Inverness Beach

Antigonish County:

  • Pomquet Beach
  • Bayfield Beach

Pictou County:

  • Melmerby Beach

Cumberland County:

  • Heather Beach

Halifax County:

  • Queensland Beach
  • Lawrencetown Beach
  • Rainbow Haven Beach
  • Dollar Lake
  • Clam Harbour Beach

Lunenburg County:

  • Risser's Beach

Kings County:

  • Aylesford Lake

Digby County:

  • Mavillette Beach

Yarmouth County:

  • Lake Ellenwood

  • Lake Milo

  • Clam Harbour Beach, Halifax Co., and Mavillette Beach, Digby Co. are only supervised on Saturdays and Sundays.

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