Southend-on-Sea City Council is encouraging residents and visitors to make safety a priority when enjoying the city's seven miles of coastline this summer.
While beach and water safety remains important throughout the year, the council is reminding beachgoers to familiarise themselves with local conditions, follow safety signage and advice and make use of the beach and sea safety guidance ahead of the busy summer holiday period.
Southend's dedicated Foreshore Patrol Team operates across the city's seven miles of coastline during the season, patrolling beaches and the seafront on foot and by vehicle, providing a visible presence, safety advice and assistance to visitors.
The council also works closely with partners including the RNLI, HM Coastguard and emergency services to promote beach and water safety and respond to incidents when required.
A range of measures are in place across Southend's coastline, including dedicated foreshore patrols, beach safety signage, emergency-only telephones, first-aid trained officers and close partnership working with the RNLI, HM Coastguard and emergency services.
Visitors are also encouraged to familiarise themselves with the RNLI's Float to Live campaign, which provides simple, potentially lifesaving advice on what to do if they find themselves in difficulty in the water. The campaign has helped save more than 50 lives and encourages people to remember it, practise it and share it.
Cllr Matt Dent, Cabinet Member for Business, Culture, Music and Tourism, said: "Southend's seven miles of coastline is one of our city's greatest assets and we want everyone to enjoy it safely.
"With more people expected to visit our beaches and seafront during the summer holidays, now is a good time to remind ourselves that a little preparation can go a long way.
"Whether you're spending the day on the sand, enjoying the water or exploring the foreshore, understanding local conditions and following safety advice can make all the difference and help ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable visit."
Useful links and advice
- before visiting the seafront, residents and visitors are encouraged to review the council's summer information, including beach and water safety advice, and familiarise themselves with local conditions on our summer information pages
- Visit Southend beach safety
- follow us on the Visit Southend website calendar as well as Visit Southend's Facebook and Instagram Stories accounts for daily updates on high and low tide times, tide depth and air temperature
- RNLI Float to Live
- in an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. There are 18 yellow emergency-only telephones positioned along Southend's seafront