The charity is resuming patrols along UK coastlines as the Easter holidays begin and has announced that lifeguard cover will return to three beaches in the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend from Friday, April 3, to Monday, April 6.
The patrolled beaches will include Whitmore Bay in Barry, Coney (Sandy Bay), and Trecco Bay.
Peter Dawes, RNLI lifeguard general manager, said: “Thanks to RNLI lifeguards our beaches are safer places, so we can enjoy our time at the coast and return home safely at the end of the day.
“Around 95 per cent of a lifeguard’s work is prevention.
“They keep beachgoers safe by educating them about water safety and spotting the dangers before accidents happen.”
This year marks 25 years since the RNLI launched its lifeguard service, which began in response to high numbers of beach fatalities.
Back in 2001, lifesaving clubs were already patrolling beaches, but not at a national scale, and the RNLI set out to create a coordinated service that would make UK coastlines safer.
In the first year of piloted patrols, 20 lives were saved, prompting the formation of a formal lifeguard service.
Since the introduction of RNLI lifeguards in Wales in 2008, 315 lives have been saved and more than 45,000 people aided through water rescues, first aid, and reuniting lost children with their families.
Tom John, a lifeguard supervisor in Swansea, said: “Since the service began we’ve seen more people visit our beaches each year wanting to have fun and enjoy the water.
“The fundamentals of lifeguarding are still the same as they were back then, however, we are now a much more proactive service.
“Our RNLI training and equipment is fantastic and we have a brilliant team.
“I love this time of year when the lifeguards are returning after their winters away, they bring awesome energy and we are all wanting to get back out onto the beaches for an amazing spring and summer season.”
The RNLI’s lifeguard service now covers more than 245 beaches across the UK and Channel Islands, with at least 35 in Wales.
As lifeguards prepare for the season, they undergo intensive training, including fitness tests, and practice using rescue boards, jet skis, and quad bikes, along with refresher courses in casualty care and first aid.
The safety charity is urging the public to choose lifeguarded beaches this Easter and to follow key advice: swim between the red and yellow flags, check tide times and weather conditions, and always read local hazard signage.
If in trouble, the charity advises to follow its float to live guidance and to call 999 and ask for the Coastguard in an emergency.
