Baywatch, SG: Sentosa

Sun, sea, sand and drunk people - such is the life of a Sentosa lifeguard
Venessa Lee, Today Online 31 Oct 09;

THE man had a catfish stuck in his chest, recalled Ms Aryati Hajis.

The student from China told her that he "was trying to catch the fish for dinner" when he was impaled by one of its spikes at Sentosa's Siloso beach.

"I had to yank it out really forcefully," said Ms Aryati, the manager of Sentosa's Beach Operations department.

The incident, which took place last year, was all in a day's work for the lifeguard unit at the resort island, whose 3.2km stretch of beach is the only one in Singapore with professional lifeguards.

The National Water Safety Council is exploring the possibility of volunteer lifeguards being stationed at different beaches in Singapore, said a council spokesman.

Sentosa's lifeguards prefer to be called beach patrol officers. "It's managing the beach more than just lifeguarding," said Ms Chang Shuwen, 19.

Clearing seaweed and setting traps for spiked critters like rabbitfish, catfish and stonefish are part of her job, she said.

Other duties include providing first aid, guest services (swimmers at Sentosa are referred to as "guests" by the beach patrol officers) and facilitating operations at Sentosa's Siloso, Palawan and Tanjong beaches.

Catching marine animals doesn't sound like something you'd find on Baywatch. "When I caught (the TV show) one time, you know, they actually wrestled with a crocodile," quipped Mr Julian Ong, a beach operations executive who also performs lifeguard duties. Also, I was told, no one really runs around in swimsuit-clad groups.

While regulation red swim-wear is issued at Sentosa, (Baywatch-red swimsuits have become a pop culture cliché), the flagship kit is a flaming yellow shirt and red shorts for the beach patrol officers.

Said 22-year-old beach patrol officer Ahmad Lutfi Bin Saimin: "When you wear the shirt, people can see that someone is coming because it is bright."

But surely, part of the charm of being a lifeguard is being able to chat with babes? Some lifeguards confessed to having been approached, and to appreciating the bikini-dotted scenery.

However, virtually all the 10 or so beach patrol officers I spoke to ruled out such chit-chat with varying degrees of shyness and avowals of the need to be professional.

The beach patrol officer is seen as a figure of authority, explained Mr Mohamed Gasznne Ismail. "When people see an authority on the beach, most of them, in Singapore, shun the (observation) towers ... Generally, they're shy. (They could be thinking) 'Oh, the lifeguard may blow the whistle, I'd better not embarrass myself.'"

Mr Jet Lim, 24, a part-time beach patrol officer, cited a desire to do his part for Singapore's tourism sector: "We're bringing up Sentosa's image, so I don't want to bring that down."

Why Drownings Occur

A lifeguard's job, it seemed to me, included moments of boredom and moments of terror. Sometimes, when nobody is in the water, for example, it "can get quite boring", said Mr Lufti.

By contrast, at certain peak periods, "there are 100 people in the water. You have to really pay attention and make sure everyone is safe," said Mr Gabriel Cheam, 18, who also worked part-time.

Mr Muhammad Yazid Bin Nasre, who has performed "countless" rescues, said: "My most memorable rescue would be myself towing back five people at once."

He had hoisted a toddler, one woman and a man onto the rescue tube he had brought into the sea, which he slung on his shoulders, leaving his arms free to tow the other two adults.

"The adrenaline rush gives you a lot of power," said the 24-year-old, with a smile.

Lifesaving requires a staggering intensity of focus. Late in 2005, Mr Ong, 37, said, a man on Sentosa "was actually in his car and he had a heart attack ... we went to the car park to do CPR. ... I couldn't save him.

"The sad part about it was, it was my uncle."

He was so intent on performing CPR that he didn't even recognise his uncle: "I was trying to revive him and I didn't know." Mr Ong said that the CPR procedures went on right until the ambulance came, about 10 minutes later. He only knew it was his uncle when his mother told him later, he said.

In a dark coincidence, another tragedy with similar overtones unfolded a few months later.

Some of the drownings on Sentosa occur because "some of our guests overestimate their own ability to swim in open water", said Ms Aryati, who said people often try to swim to the man-made islets opposite Sentosa's beaches, which can be dangerous.

Her 16-year-old cousin, Mohamed Hirwan, drowned at Sentosa during Chinese New Year in 2006.

"It was my own cousin. They were challenging each other to swim to the islet. I couldn't recognise his face," said Ms Aryati. She could not recognise him because of white foam coming out of his nose and mouth, which partially covered his face. It was only later - after "we (took) turns to do the CPR" and the ambulance took him away - that she found out who had died.

Drownings also occur when alcohol or drugs have been consumed, or when horseplay is involved, she said. According to Ms Aryati, one drowning took place at Sentosa each year from 2006 to 2008. There have been no fatalities this year.

After each drowning, measures such as reviewing safety procedures are taken. "We perform many more interventions," she said, referring to attempts, for example, to urge guests not to take their girlfriends piggyback while in the water.

One such intervention took place during Chinese New Year last year, she said. One man, drunk as a skunk, kept trying to enter the water. "Five of our guys had to tie him to a tree to subdue him, with consent from the wife," said Ms Aryati. He spent "a good two hours" tied up, she added.

Manicured, but nice all the same
Venessa Lee, Today Online 31 Oct 09;

It may look like the manly lovechild of a tractor and a digger, but it has a decidedly dainty function.

Sentosa's beach cleaning machine costs $150,000 and it is used to make the sand softer and fluffier, according to representatives of Sentosa Leisure Group. It also clears debris 15cm beneath the surface.

Yes, the sand between my toes did feel soft. It didn't feel as angel-dusty as some other beaches overseas, I thought uncharitably, but soft, I will concede.

When I paid another visit to Sentosa's beaches this week, I felt tired just thinking about the sheer number of Things To Do. There was even a flying fox that I was sure to dangle ignominiously from, and a basketball court.

I decided that sitting on a sun bed would be best for me, notwithstanding the sudden downpour. Looking around me, I saw at least 16 sun-bedders facing the rain falling on the man-made islets and rocks opposite. It felt like a team-building exercise.

Yet, trudging across the wet sand, I realised that I could also feel a glimmer of peace, just looking out at the grey sea and sky, and not doing much.

Shame about the trash there
Letter from Paul Chong
Today Online 3 Nov 09;

IT WAS nice to read about this original aspect of Sentosa's beaches - even if the coast there is not all that fantastic compared with those on our neighouring shores.

The Sentosa management could do more to ensure that there is less unwanted rubbish swept up onto the beach, especially at Siloso Beach, which is open to swimmers. I was there last Sunday and the beach was in a very poor state, with much debris floating in the water and rubbish on the sand.

I have given my feedback a few times but the reply I always get is that the beaches face the open sea, with many ships sailing by, so the rubbish is unavoidable. I'm not so sure. After all, we managed to clean up the Singapore River ...

Don't forget the doggie patrol
Letter from Carol Hodgkiss
Today Online 3 Nov 09;

I READ Venessa Lee's Weekend Today Big Story, "Baywatch, SG" (Oct 31-Nov 1) with interest and was disappointed that she did not mention the rescue dogs that also patrol Sentosa's beaches.

My friend T J and his golden retriever Snuffy, among others, have been working at the beach for years now. Trained dogs have the ability and stamina to rescue people when even their human partners cannot.

I would have liked to have seen the headline "Baywatch, SG: Meet the men, women and dogs who keep Sentosa's beaches safe'.

Keeping Sentosa's beaches safe and clean
Daily clean-up operations stepped up after big events
Letter from Vincent Yeo Operations Director, Sentosa Leisure Group
Today Online 10 Nov 09;

WE REFER to the letter, "Shame about the trash there" (Nov 3). We thank Mr Paul Chong for his feedback, and for the opportunity for Sentosa to share more on our plans to step up the cleanliness of our beaches.

A team of cleaners is deployed daily to scoop up litter in the sand, clear refuse bins, and remove flotsam brought in by the tide and strewn along the shore. This regime is stepped up whenever functions and activities are held on our beaches.

As the popularity of Sentosa's beaches continues to grow, we are committed to providing a clean and enjoyable experience for our beach-goers. To that end, we are currently in the process of sourcing for more beach cleaning solutions, to complement our efforts and increase the efficiency of our clean-up programme.

We will continue to review the situation on our beaches, and would like to encourage our beach guests to lend us a hand in keeping our beach stretch clean.

We would also like to thank Ms Carol Hodgkiss for her letter, "Don't forget the doggie patrol" (Nov 3). Currently, Sentosa does not work with a volunteer dog patrol team. We have spoken to Ms Hodgkiss and understand that the initiative referred to in her letter is actually a privately-run programme that focuses on helping dogs to swim. It is not a dog patrol programme as originally cited.

Sentosa's beach patrol team is led by certified lifeguards, who are also trained in open-water lifesaving skills, a component that is unique to Sentosa's life-guard team. Through regular patrols, and monthly beach safety campaigns to promote public awareness and education, the Sentosa team aims to empower our beach guests with safety tips, while providing them with an enjoyable and safe experience.