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Summer is officially here in Cartagena. From Tuesday July 1, the municipality has activated its full beach season safety operation, and this year it comes with a notable addition: a permanent patrol of the Policía Local Aquatic Unit stationed in La Azohía, on the western Mediterranean coast, a stretch that previously relied on mobile coverage alone.

 

Councillor for Citizen Security José Ramón Llorca explained the thinking at a presentation held at Playa Honda. "The main new feature is the establishment of a permanent patrol in the western area, in La Azohía, which will provide land-based support to the jet skis to improve the response to any incident or situation," he said.

 

The Aquatic Unit is made up of 12 officers led by two sub-inspectors and a commissioner, operating seven days a week along the full length of the Cartagena coastline, both on the Mar Menor and the Mediterranean. Their four jet skis and four ATVs are used for everything from monitoring beach regulations and tackling illegal street vending to backing up lifeguards when things get serious.

 

If you are spending time on the Cartagena coast this summer, the level of cover behind the scenes is considerable. Between 80 and 90 Civil Protection and rescue professionals are deployed every single day, a team that includes lifeguards, boat captains, nurses, beach managers, 112 emergency operators and coordination staff.

 

Spread across the coastline are 27 lifeguard stations, two rescue boats, three ambulances with nursing staff and a full set of rapid intervention vehicles, with additional jet skis, rescue boats and ATVs held in reserve for busier days.

 

A four-person night shift is on duty after dark for emergencies, and the specialist units covering La Manga and the GOESC bring the total daily headcount to between 60 and 70 people on top of the standard municipal resources.

 

Llorca put the purpose plainly: "A comprehensive service so that residents and visitors can enjoy our beaches with the highest safety guarantees."

 

Councillor for the Coast Álvaro Valdés confirmed that all 27 beaches are now fully open, including assisted bathing points and accessibility facilities. He was also keen to highlight something that sets Cartagena apart. "We are the first municipality to open all its beaches and we will also be among the last to close them," he said, with the season running all the way through to October 12.

 

For a coastline that can feel quieter than it deserves once September arrives, that is good news for anyone who prefers their beach a little less crowded.

 

 

Images: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena