Northern beaches: Volunteer COVID safety ambassadors wanted

A mini army of volunteers is set to storm the northern beaches to help stop the spread of COVID-19

The council wants to draft in a mini army of volunteers to act as COVID ambassadors to remind people of their obligations to help stop the spread of coronavirus on the northern beaches. File picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Volunteers are set to sign up to patrol popular beaches and parks to help stop the spread of coronavirus on the northern beaches.

The council is keen for community members to be part of its “COVID-19 Summer Action Plan for Outdoor Public Spaces” ahead of what is expected to be a bumper holiday season.

The volunteers will help local authorities keep an eye on crowd numbers at 12 beaches and reserves. File picture: Damian Shaw

The initiative got the go-ahead at Tuesday night’s full council meeting, the so-called COVID ambassadors will be mingling with beachgoers and picnickers, reminding people about the rules around social distancing.

In a report to councillors, council officers said the uniformed ambassadors will also help gather information about crowd numbers to be passed on to council rangers and police.

So far, 46 people have expressed interest in becoming a COVID ambassador, but at least 100 are needed to cover the three, three-and-a-half-hour shifts each day from early December. Twelve locations were identified as priority locations including Manly, Curl Curl, Dee Why, Mona Vale and Palm beaches as well as Manly Dam and the Narrabeen Lagoon Trail.

If crowd numbers are too high Northern Beaches rangers or police will close an area down. File picture: Damian Shaw

“The role would include friendly reminders to stay 1.5m apart; monitoring large groups numbers (gatherings of 30), and assisting in crowd intelligence gathering for controlling overall numbers,” the report said.

“Ultimately this will allow the lifeguards and volunteer SLSC patrollers to focus on keeping people safe in the water and our rangers to ensure compliance on other issues.”

But Cr Rory Amon opposed what he described as an “ill-conceived” initiative and described the volunteers as “COVID Cops”.

“The fact that we only got 46 is symptomatic of the fact that this idea has gained absolutely zero, nil traction”

Cr Amon said there was the potential for volunteers to be assaulted.

“People on the northern beaches don’t like being told what to do. People don’t like the Nanny State coming over the top. They don't like people in high-vis vests wandering around demanding they do X, demanding they do Y.

“People are not children.”

The council has already contacted surf clubs asking if members might like to contribute time outside of their patrols or other club duties.

As part of the wider Action Plan drones are now being used to check crowd numbers at 25 popular beaches and parks.

If the drones, piloted by surf life savers, find that crowds are getting too big, or too close to each other, police and council rangers will move in to close the beach or park and move people on.

People have been advised to remember social distancing rules when out and about on the northern beaches over summer. File picture: Damian Shaw

As part of the plan, council lifeguards would set up additional flagged swimming areas on beaches “to reduce crowd density”.

Mayor Michael Regan said the initiative was about “us doing everything we can to make sure ourt beaches stay open for our residents, for our visitors and help businesses do their thing.

“(The ambassadors) are not there to provide anything but basic customer service.”