The Municipality of Kincardine is hoping to keep beachgoers safe this summer with the launch of the new Beach Blazers program.
The Beach Blazers are looking for volunteers to help educate visitors to Station Beach, acting as both ambassadors and an extra set of eyes.
Manager of Recreation Anne-Marie Thomson says that the program is a new initiative being run by the municipality to help beachgoers choose safe swimming areas and avoid things like riptides.
“Our Beach Blazers are going to educate folks on when you come to the beach about looking at weather,” she says. “That has a big impact on creating waves and the wind direction in terms of how that will impact currents in the lake.”
Thomson says that it’s important to know where the safe swimming areas are, especially since the weather can change quickly on Lake Huron.
“The approach that we want the volunteers to take is simply [that] this is education. It’s not a matter of you can or you can’t, we just want to create an atmosphere down there where there’s greater awareness, and people are just more informed.”
The municipality says that the Beach Blazers are not intended to be lifeguards.
The volunteers are simply there to educate people on how to be safe in the water.
Thomson says that they’re currently recruiting volunteers aged 18 and older, who have a few hours each week to be at the beach during peak times. Anyone interested in volunteering can fill out an application form at www.kincardine.ca/volunteer.
The summer season for volunteers will be from the week of June 24th until Labour Day. There will be an orientation and training session in mid-June.
