It is expected that many beaches will open for the first time in three years this summer, but there are concerns about a shortage of personnel for monitoring and rescue such as life savers.
Due to factors such as the fact that no training sessions were held to obtain qualifications at Korona-ka, beaches around the world are busy responding.
According to the Japan Coast Guard, as of the 30th of last month, there are 829 beaches, which is about 80% of the 1028 beaches nationwide, which are scheduled to open this summer.
Based on the regulations of the local government and the guidance from the Japan Coast Guard, the beach is staffed with people to monitor and rescue for safety measures.
In some cases, you will be paid a reward, and in other cases, you will be volunteered.
Basically, these people have the qualification of "Life Saver" for rescue at sea and the qualification of "BLS" for life-saving measures, and they can be renewed every two or three years after acquisition. Is required.
According to the Japan Lifesaving Association, a total of 4,346 people newly acquired or renewed these qualifications last year, or 68% of the 6,380 people three years before the spread of the infection.
According to the association, due to the influence of the new coronavirus,
it was not possible to hold a seminar for acquiring qualifications, and the
university became a remote lecture, making it difficult to obtain cooperation in units such as club activities as in the past. Is a factor.
For this reason, according to the association, the shortage of life savers has been confirmed nationwide, and beaches around the world are busy with measures such as having qualified working people take a break from work.
Yojiro Sato, the secretariat of the Japan Life Saving Association, said, "In the unlikely event that an accident occurs in a place where there is no life saver, there is a high possibility that it will lead to a serious accident without being able to report. A beach will be opened when playing in the sea. I want you to enjoy it where there are life savers and so on. "
On top of that, as a future measure, he says, "It is necessary to secure human resources from a different perspective, such as developing human resources for life savers from a younger age such as elementary and junior high school students."
Insufficient monitoring system Beaches High risk of accidents
There is an increased risk of accidents at beaches with inadequate monitoring.
According to the Japan Coast Guard, about 100 people swim in places other than beaches where monitoring is in place and have accidents every year.
▽ 101 people in 2018 ▽
97 people in 2019
▽ 98 people for adults
▽ 95 people last year.
Of these, 49 died or went missing in
2018 ▽
53 in 2019 ▽
59 in 2020
▽ 50 in 2021.
▽ Accidents that occurred during the period when the monitoring system was not established, such as before the opening of the beach, although it was a
beach, and accidents that occurred on the coast or rocky areas other than the place where the beach was established are included.
The site of "life saver shortage"
At the beach in Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, a local life saver
group is in charge of
monitoring
. It means that you need about 10 life savers a day to get it.
Before the spread of the new coronavirus, about 70 life savers were shifting during the period, but this season the number of active life savers has decreased by about 10.
For this reason
, ▽ working people take paid holidays to volunteer for activities, and
▽ the number of days of activity per person is increased from the usual year, and we
manage to make ends meet.
About the life saver, a girl in the fifth grade of elementary school said, "When I tried to enter the sea, he told me that it was dangerous. It would be more reassuring to be there."
Also, a woman in her 40s said, "I didn't know that life savers were really booming a few years ago, so I didn't know that they weren't enough. I'm relieved. "
Mayumi Narabe of Shonan Hiratsuka Life Saving Club said, "In a place where many people come to play in the sea, to prevent sad and painful feelings, secure a certain number of life savers because we will hold a beach. It's better if you can do it. If you're interested in trying it, I'd like you to take on the challenge. "
Recruitment from the town's public relations magazine and recruitment magazine
At the beach in Hayama Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, about 20 out of 100 life savers were university students before the spread of the new coronavirus.
While the beach was open, college students were on summer vacation and were valuable because they could work on weekdays and holidays, but only one of these college students is active this season as well. ..
Until now, the cooperation of university club activities and circles has been obtained, and a certain number of people has been maintained every year by soliciting new students, but club activities etc. are canceled due to Korona-ka and it is possible to obtain cooperation. It's getting harder.
For this reason, as a result of recruiting in the town's public relations magazine and recruitment magazine, and as a result of the current members calling out to acquaintances, 13 local high school students applied.
The life saver qualification can be obtained from the age of 15 and over, and high school students are working with qualified members while receiving skill guidance.
Zenta Hagiwara (17), a second-year high school student, said, "I decided to help prevent accidents while looking at my favorite sea. Every day, it is very difficult to help people in the event of an emergency. I'm doing it while feeling it. "
In addition, Tomomi Kato, president of Hayama Lifesaving Club, said, "I never offered a job. I was worried that high school students could do it because I had to face human life and pay attention to adults, but I was confident. I'm taking it with me, so I'm watching over it with confidence. "