Lifeguards deployed at Mumbai’s beaches by the BMC and private companies to tackle emergencies, especially during the monsoons, will be assisted this year by an additional force from the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB).
A total of 120 lifeguards from MFB’s flood rescue team will be on standby to assist the 92 men posted at popular beaches. The lifeguards from MFB will be called in for back up as soon as any incident is reported.
“This addition to the rescue force usually happens every year but since the lockdown, this was not happening as not many tourists were venturing near beaches,” Mumbai fire chief Hemant Parab said. He added that this year, men from the additional rescue team have been deployed at Dadar, Gurgaon, Juhu, Versova and Aksa.
“They have also completed their training for the rescue operations and will be deployed every Saturday, Sunday and on high tide days,” Parab said.
Meanwhile, the MFB has also appealed to the people to avoid going to beaches during high tides in the monsoon season. Due to overcrowding or because of the irresponsibility of some tourists, there are cases where people tend to lose their lives.
The team is trained and has all the necessary tools required for rescue. The lifeguards are stationed at these main tourist beaches and they constantly urge people not to venture deep into the sea during the monsoons.
“We lifeguards have a big responsibility as we have to keep a close watch on the tourists when they try to venture deeper,” a lifeguard working at Aksa beach, Nathuram Suryavanshi said.
However, there are a few overzealous tourists who ignore these instructions and go into deep waters, getting dragged further out along with the current. On Thursday, seven members of a family were rescued by lifeguards after they entered a high tide zone at Aska beach, which was reported by the FPJ.
Suryavanshi, one of the lifeguards involved in their rescue, said, “People should follow the instructions by lifeguards regarding the dangers at beaches. Even before Thursday's incident, I had very clearly told the group they might drown if they ventured any deeper, but they did not heed and we had to fish them out as they got stuck in the high tide.”
Along with the lifeguards, jet skis, six rescue boats, six kayaks, six surfboards and other rescue equipment have been made available to aid in rescue operations.
