This week, council’s 30 professional ocean lifeguards will collect new sky blue uniforms when they are taken through council’s lifeguard induction.

The new uniforms are identical to those worn by Waverley Council Lifeguards, as seen on television program Bondi Rescue.

“Since 2012, the Australian Professional Ocean Lifeguard Association has supported adopting the blue uniform, but left it up to individual councils to decide,” Kiama council’s supervising lifeguard Andy Mole said. 

‘‘Since then, a number of councils along Australia’s East Coast have adopted the new uniform, including Shellharbour.”

This year, council will have an emergency radio available for the first time.

“It will be set up at Kendalls Beach from the start of the shoulder season (September 21),” Mr Mole said.

‘‘Once our peak season patrols commence (December 19), the beacon will be moved to South Bombo and then returned to Kendalls Beach from January 27 until April 22.”

The radio will be set up during lifeguard patrol hours Monday to Friday, and allow beach-goers to send a radio signal to on-duty lifeguards in an emergency.

Mr Mole said this would improve response times, especially on unpatrolled sections of beaches.

‘‘South Bombo was notoriously bad last year,’’ he said. ‘‘Last season we had 17 rescues at the southern end of Bombo, either by council lifeguards or members of the public.’’

This year, Kiama’s lifeguard service also took inspiration from their Gold Coast counterparts, developing new-look surf safety material modelled on the Queensland service.

“We’ve redesigned our surf safety material by sharing resources with Gold Coast Council,” Mr Mole said.

“We’ve also had a life-sized cardboard cut-out of one of our local lifeguards created.

“‘Larry the Lifeguard’ carries the main message we have to beach-goers: ‘no flags, no swim’.’’

Mr Mole also advised beach-goers to only swim at beaches which are either patrolled by council lifeguards or volunteer lifesavers. 

Other tips included obeying all official signage, and that swimmers be aware of their own capabilities in the water.

“When people get themselves into difficulty, stay calm, stay afloat and raise their arm and call for help,” Mr Mole said. “A lot of surfers help with rescues, so signal for a lifeguard, lifesaver or a surfer by raising an arm clearly in the air.”