Albufeira will officially open the bathing season on Sunday, May 15th, and everything is ready to welcome bathers safely and «with quality» on its beaches.
Today, Friday, Praia dos Pescadores hosted the official opening ceremony of the 2022 bathing season in Albufeira, during which a simulation of saving a bather was promoted, as well as a demonstration of cleaning the sands, using machines.
In the end, those responsible for the various entities present ensured that everything is in place so that the bathing areas of the municipality can be safely enjoyed this summer.
In the component of helping the castaways, there are water scooters and land vehicles, among other means, that will help the swimmers of Albufeira to fulfill their mission in the best way.
But there is also another component, that of the cliffs, for more in a municipality where there is «some geological vulnerability».
Both José Carlos Rolo, mayor of Albufeira, and Pedro Coelho, from the Portuguese Environment Agency, highlighted the issue of cliff safety. Pedro Coelho even revealed that, during the winter, «there were six natural landslides on the cliffs of Barlavento, five of which on the coast of Albufeira».
In addition to these natural cliff falls, a controlled landslide was carried out yesterday at Praia da Coelha. On Wednesday, two others had already been made at Praia de Santa Eulália. Both are bathing areas in the municipality of Albufeira.
«As for the cliffs, we always pay attention to these kinds of details. A few days ago there was a landslide caused by the conditions of the terrain, which it cannot hold and then goes downhill. It becomes dangerous for people», as proved by the tragedy of Praia Maria Luísa, in August 2009, which caused five deaths, stressed José Carlos Rolo.
“Often, bathers do not take the care they should have, lying in the shade, and, from one moment to the next, a catastrophe happens”, he added.
With regard to assistance for accidents at sea, everything is also in place, assures Jorge Azevedo, president of the Association of Lifeguards of Albufeira.
“We will have new means. We have a van that also supports the National Maritime Authority, in complementarity with this entity's Seawatch project», revealed this official.
«Only here at Praia dos Pescadores we have three water rescue motorcycles, which is extraordinary. In other concessions, we have other motorcycles that are operated by lifeguards, also intended for maritime rescue”, he added.
There is also a «fire boat registered with the Association of Lifeguards, also in partnership with the Chamber».
«All the conditions are met!», he believes.
Although there are different concessionaires, they «join efforts» and have integrated plans.
«As we have complementary resources, such as jet skis, we have reduced the need for lifeguards, without neglecting safety. Thus, we are left with more lifeguards to meet our needs. And we have the necessary means to guarantee bathing safety», reinforced Jorge Azevedo.
The issue of security is always important, especially in a year in which hotel reservations suggest that the summer will be good and that 2022 could be «a year even longer than 2019», stressed José Carlos Rolo.
And Albufeira will be waiting, «with the usual cleanliness, the quality of the water that is constantly measured by official entities and everything around the beach, the good service, gastronomy and entertainment at night, both at the music, or in terms of hotels, bars and these types of equipment, which contribute to making this a destination with high demand».
Whoever goes to Albufeira can also count on Blue Flags in all 25 bathing areas of the municipality, which means that the municipality «continues to be the one with the most blue flags and the one with the most golden beaches».
This will also be first municipality in the Algarve and one of the first in the country to open the bathing season (already on Sunday, the 15th) and the last one to close it, in the region, on the 15th of October.
In the remaining 60 seaside bathing areas in the Algarve, the season officially opens on the 1st of June and closes on the 30th of September.
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação and Rui Gregorio | CMA
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