‘We want to save lives’

If you were wondering just how busy the Kauai Lifeguard Association was last year, these numbers tell a pretty good story:

• 105 islandwide rescues

• 113,771 preventative actions at 10 lifeguard towers

• 5,933 instances of providing first aid

• 206,894 cases of public contact

Consider that total beach attendance on Kauai was just over two million people in 2015 — an increase of about 800,000 from 2012 — and lifeguards have a lot of toddlers, teens and adults to look after.

“All of this takes money and KLA helps raise the money to make it happen in conjunction with the county,” said Andy Melamed, KLA marketing director.

The organization recently met to review last year’s activities, look ahead to this year and thank its supporters. The very reason for doing what they do is simple, Melamed said. At the very top of their list is saving lives and they plan to help do exactly that in 2016 in a number of ways.

“We’re going to be continually promoting ocean safety through different venues this year,” he said to about 50 people at the Kauai Beach Resort.

Kauai Rep. Derek Kawakami said he appreciated the efforts of private and public sectors to help KLA.

“How hard is it to support our lifeguards?” he said. “And you folks are a testament to all of that. This evening is all about you.”

Kalani Vierra, Kauai Ocean Safety Division supervisor and KLA board member, said this year, four lifeguard towers — Haena, Hanalei, Poipu and Kekaha — will be outfitted with new state-of-the-art public announcement systems, thanks to the success of last year’s Third Wave fundraiser, also led by Melamed. The rest will have high-powered, durable megaphones with rechargeable batteries.

KLA helps promote ocean safety in a variety of ways, including raising funds to provide lifeguards with tools for their job, such as ATVs and jet skis. Melamed said lifeguards say what they need, and KLA does its best to provide it.

“We then create a campaign that raises money,” he said.

A Fourth Wave Celebration is set for Oct. 22 at the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club.

KLA also supports the Rescue Tube Foundation, which has led the way to establish 220 rescue tubes around Kauai that have resulted in 130 documented rescues. It plans to launch campaigns to make sure the public knows about the rescue tubes and how to use them.

It plans to feature a KLA lifesaver of the month and promote the wildly popular and successful keiki and junior lifeguard program

It’s also involved with producing a brochure and video reminding visitors that the ocean is powerful, and it directs people to lifeguarded beaches.

“That’s really what we’re trying to do right now,” Melamed said. “We know at least they’re being looked after rather than going elsewhere.”

What’s been going on, he said, is visitors go to a beach that’s crowded, say in Hanalei, so they decide to head to another beach, less crowded, more isolated ones like Lumahai — but no lifeguards.

“That’s happening around the island,” he said.

These beaches are beautiful but dangerous, Melamed said, where someone can be swept out to sea.

There were six drownings in Kauai waters last year.

Another point of concern is taking care of visitors who underestimate the ocean.

“A visitor sees a local kid at Shipwreck’s getting a great wave and thinks he can go out there and do the same thing. but they’ve never been in those kinds of currents before,” he said.

The Fourth Wave goal will target unguarded beaches including Lumahai, Anini, Larsen’s, Kalapaki, Shipwreck, Waiohai, Salt Pond and Pakala.

There is a plan in the works to increase safety at those beaches, Melamed said, but he was not yet ready to release details.

“We want to save lives in the areas that need addressing,” he said.

Jim Jung, vice president, thanked those who support KLA in so many ways, such as volunteering, donating or organizing fundraisers.

“They’re the heart of the association. Otherwise, we’re just people,” he said. “These are the guys that support us and we’re very grateful to them for it. They make it possible.”