There were more than 5.6 million individual visits to Cronulla's patrolled beaches over the 2020-21 summer season, according to Sutherland Shire Council.
Council lifeguards conducted 560 rescues, performed CPR more than 3500 times and took almost 101,000 preventative actions to keep beachgoers safe during what was an "exceptionally challenging" season, made even harder by COVID restrictions.
With the season now over, Sutherland Shire Council has commended its professional lifeguards for their efforts in keeping the community safe over a challenging summer.
Cronulla's main swimming beaches, Cronulla, North Cronulla, Greenhills, Wanda and Elouera, are patrolled by the council's professional ocean safety lifeguards alongside volunteer surf lifesavers from the four Bate Bay Surf Life Saving Clubs.
The two groups work together during the summer season to ensure the safety of the public, who are encouraged to swim between the flags during beach patrol times only.
While the lifesaving season officially runs from the start of October until the end of March, Cronulla's four main beaches are patrolled until the end of April.
Sutherland Shire mayor Steve Simpson said the council's lifeguards had not only served as a swift and responsive force in rescuing swimmers, surfers and other beachgoers from danger, but had performed invaluable work against the spread of COVID-19.
"Each year our ocean safety lifeguards perform extraordinary work in keeping all those who visit our patrolled beaches safe and they have again done an exceptional job to not only keep people safe in the surf, but also their stellar work in managing crowd numbers and social distancing on the sand," he said.
"With 5.6 million individual visits to our patrolled beaches over the summer period, council's lifeguards had an exceptionally challenging workload, not only performing the multitude of rescue, CPR and preventative actions, but also working with local emergency services to regulate crowd numbers and behaviour.
"While they don't always get the credit or thanks they are due, I'm sure our community can recognise that council's lifeguards have again done an exceptional job in ensuring that our beaches could remain open, safe and accessible for all over summer."
Sutherland Shire Council's public safety manager Brett Richardson said the council's lifeguards conducted 560 rescues, performed CPR more than 3500 times and took almost 101,000 preventative actions.
"Even when they aren't on the beach, our team works tirelessly to support beach safety awareness in the community," he said.
"We would like to extend our thanks to all those members of the public who made every effort to observe social distancing and other COVID-Safe protocols when out on our beaches this summer and for so readily and co-operatively complying with safety directives from our lifeguards when required."
With the summer season now over, volunteer lifesavers from the four Bate Bay Surf Life Saving Clubs have hung up their hats for the season, meaning most of Cronulla's beaches will be unpatrolled.
However, Mr Richardson said council lifeguards would continue to patrol Cronulla beach each day.
"Beachgoers can be assured that our highly trained lifeguards will still be on hand to keep you safe throughout the winter months, with patrols to be conducted at Cronulla beach between 7am and 4pm daily," Mr Richardson said.
Details: For more information about beach patrol times click here.
