FIRST FOR FIFE
FIFE Council is the first local authority in Britain to be recognised as an accredited training centre for the delivery of the National Beach Lifeguard Programme.

Cllr Jim Brennan, (above right) a Fife Council spokesperson for the arts and leisure said: "I would like to not only congratulate all the fifteen lifeguards who have successfully completed the training course but also congratulate Community. Services staff who have worked so hard to achieve RLSS national training centre status”.

"One of the main criteria for a Blue Flag beach is to have a lifeguard patrol so there will continue to be an on-going demand for staff training every year and as more of our beaches are brought up to Blue Flag standard
the numbers requiring training will increase.

We will also be able to offer our expertise and skills to other local authorities and organisations."

The two week Foundation training programme (34 hours) has been developed by Lifesavers, The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) and the awarding body
is the Institute of Qualified Lifeguards. rating Fife Council on their achievement Andrew Ebben, Managing Director, the Institute of Qualified Lifeguards said: "This is an indication of the commitment of Fife Council.

The first group of lifeguards (pictured above) to undergo training are now providing cover across Fife's four Blue Flag beaches seven days a week between 10 am and 5 pm at the Silver Sands, Aberdour, Burntisland, Harbour beach, Elie and the West Sands at St Andrews.

In addition the Seaside Award winning East Sands beach, also St Andrews has a lifeguard patrol.

One of the lifeguards is 25 year old Bruce Lepley from Burntisland. He is in the second year of a Leisure Management course at Fife College.

He said: "Being a Beach Lifeguard is quite different from being a lifeguard at a pool.

It's on a much bigger scale and instead of having to swim five metres to help someone you might have to swim say 100 metres plus fight through waves, jellyfish and very cold water. "

The stars of the show... In the picture on your left are:

Top Row:
Carlos Ortiz, Richard Thorbjorsen, Cameron Little, Ian Mackenzie, Ruaridh Stevenson

Middle Row:
Neil Wilkie, Gavin Neilson, Iain Gilbert, Ewan Heeles, Bruce Lepley

Bottom Row:
James Logan, Duncan Heeles, Robbie Blyth (Training Officer), Ariyanna Keddie, Jane Logan