A bloom of jelly fish spotted in the waters at Bahrain Bay over the weekend has shined a bright spotlight on safety issues, coinciding with the start of the irritable invertebrate season.
Jellyfish season in the kingdom typically runs from April to August, making it important for swimmers to exercise caution when entering the water during this time.
While the majority of jellyfish in Bahrain’s waters are relatively harmless, according to Royal Life Saving Bahrain’s (RLSB) general manager Sam Rahman, lifeguard teams are still called to treat people suffering from stings every year.
The almost transparent marine creature can cause severe pain, in some cases, create life threatening reactions.
“Jellyfish stings accounted for six per cent of all first aid incidents our lifeguards treated last year,” Mr Rahman told the GDN.
Mr Rahman
Jellyfish go with the flow. They float with the current, which means that if the current comes to shore, jellyfish may come too.
Founded by Shaikha Nayla bint Hamad Al Khalifa, RLSB is Bahrain’s first water safety and drowning prevention organisation, committed to promoting water safety and educating the public about potential risks.
“We encourage swimmers to stay vigilant and follow our guidelines to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience in Bahrain’s waters,” he advised.
“To ensure public safety, RLSB recommends only swimming at beaches with lifeguards who are trained and equipped to deal with any stings.
“Our beaches also have jellyfish nets which significantly help to reduce stinging incidents. Look out for the purple flag, which is used by our lifeguards to warn beach visitors of jellyfish in the water. And wear protective clothing such as rash guards or wetsuits when swimming.”
Lifeguard services operate at Bilaj Al Jazayer, Marassi Beach, Vida Hotel, Address Hotel, Solymar Beach and the newly-opened Sama Bay.
Speaking about overall swimmer safety, Mr Rahman added: “As the summer season approaches, we typically see an increase in the number of drowning related incidents.
“Although this figure has been steadily declining over the past five years due to various initiatives, even one life lost is one too many.
“This coming summer, it is important to be vigilant and supervise children correctly at all times while in and around water. A child can drown in as little as 20 seconds. Children under five should be within arm’s reach of an adult at all times, and children under 10 should be clearly visible at all times.”
RLSB currently employs 38 full-time lifeguards working at their six beaches, who work 365 days a year to ensure the safety of beach visitors.
Last year, RLSB registered more than 400,000 beach visitors to these locations and completed more than 13,000 preventative actions, treated 236 first aid injuries and performed 35 water rescues.
melissa@gdnmedia.bh
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