With the crowds at Camber in spite of the bank holiday wet weather, it was still a busy weekend for the lifeguards from the RNLI. They patrol the beach each summer from the two look out points close to the dunes.
At the height of the summer 30,000 people can be on the beach each day at Camber. The work of the lifeguards, and the other emergency services, is vital even on a quieter day, as Rye News has reported in recent weeks, with successful searches for missing children in July and August.
The lifeguards are not volunteers. They are RNLI employees working alongside Rother District Council’s beach patrols. Some of the lifeguards work full time, others fit in shifts on the beach around study and part-time jobs. Whilst Camber has a long history of lifeguards coming from Australia, most are from East Sussex.
Flo Laimbeer is on her fourth season at Camber. She enjoys being part of the young team. “We’re all similar ages and we all get on. If we’re rushed off our feet on a busy day we all pull together.”
The job is a mix of giving preventative advice and reacting to what’s happening on the beach. “People listen to us. They understand we know the beach so when we talk to the visitors about the dangerous sand bars or making sure children don’t go missing we get a good reaction.”
There is three to four weeks of full-time training before any of the lifeguards even arrive at Camber. For Georgia Landy, now in her 7th year on the beach, the training is detailed and in depth. “It means we are prepared for anything, especially casualty care. We’re trained to a high standard.”
She says being a lifeguard is a great job. “Everyone is so friendly. People turn to us for advice on where to swim or what to do. I love being here. Growing up by the sea has played a big part in my life. I’m happier in the water.”
The lifeguards at Camber will remain on patrol seven days a week until September 29. Last year, according to the RNLI, lifeguards responded to 234 incidents across the whole of Rother and Hastings, helped 250 people and saved five lives.
Image Credits: KT Bruce , Kt bruce .