While Bay of Plenty locals and visitors are enjoying their holiday break, a team of dedicated surf lifesaving search and rescue volunteers are working hard behind the scenes to ensure the public’s safety along the coastline of the Bay of Plenty, 24 hours a day, seven days of the week, 365 days of the year.
That team, the iLine Construction Western Bay of Plenty Search & Rescue Squad, is a newly amalgamated group of surf lifesaving specialist search and rescue volunteers from four surf lifesaving clubs along the BOP coastline (Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service, Omanu Surf Lifesaving Club, Papamoa Surf Lifesaving Club and Pukehina Surf Rescue) who are working together to ensure all the beaches along our entire coast have specialist search and rescue coverage regardless of the time of day or year.
All squad members are volunteers and are surf lifeguards from these four local clubs and by combining forces the area has a larger talent pool to draw upon which will mean quicker response times, high-quality experienced responders, extensive area coverage, and better ability to scale up if situations require.
Local company iLine Construction has come on board as the major sponsor of the squad. Their contribution will support the squad with vital equipment and training. iLine Construction is a local construction company, specialising in project planning, pre-construction, design, cost management and construction.
Squad coordinator Stu Lowth said, “The funding we have received from iLine Construction is absolutely massive to us and hugely appreciated. Our team are all volunteers giving our time to help others. To have extra funds available to upskill our members and to provide vital rescue equipment so we can help others is awesome.”
