07/09/2026
🌊 THANK YOU to our Beach Lifeguards!! 🏖️
As the Sidmouth Beach Lifeguards finished up their final patrols of the 2026 summer season yesterday, we want to say a huge THANK YOU to every member of the team for their dedication, professionalism and commitment to keeping our community and visitors safe.
It has been another busy summer, with our lifeguards responding to a wide range of incidents both on the beach and in the water. From treating more than 40 minor injuries in a single weekend - including weever fish stings, jellyfish stings, cuts and grazes - to managing medical emergencies, the team has been there when people needed them most.
This season has included a serious medical incident requiring lifesaving interventions, including CPR, multiple water rescues and assists, and significant board rescues in challenging easterly sea conditions. Lifeguards have also treated injuries ranging from broken bones and head injuries to a foot laceration following a jump from the sea wall.
Alongside these incidents, the team has managed busy beaches, powerful shorebreak and rapidly changing tides, helped reunite missing children with their families, and provided reassurance and safety advice to countless beachgoers.
Their commitment doesn’t always end when a patrol finishes, either. Members of the team have also assisted people while off duty, including helping a woman who had sustained a major bleed to her leg.
But lifeguarding is about so much more than responding to emergencies. Every conversation, every warning, every school visit and every piece of safety advice plays a part in preventing incidents before they happen.
To our lifeguards: thank you for your hard work, your compassion and the care you show to everyone who visits Sidmouth Beach. We are incredibly grateful to have you as part of the Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat team.
And to everyone who has supported the service, followed our safety advice or simply stopped to say thank you this summer - we appreciate you too. 🧡
