Lifeguarding across North Norfolk keeps swimmers safe

Date published: 5th December 2025

RNLI lifeguards have been watching over North Norfolk beaches throughout 2025, and North Norfolk District Council is grateful for all their efforts to help those in difficulty on the coast. 
 
Across the 9 lifeguarded beaches, 54 full time and part-time lifeguards have been able to prevent or attend to life changing, or potentially fatal incidents on the beach and in the sea. 
 
Lifeguards are trained to first responder level in first aid and first aid equipment, which is kept in the lifeguard unit and often respond to more first aid incidents than water-based incidents. 
 
They can also be called upon in an emergency nearby to the beach and have been able to provide life-saving first aid while the Emergency Services are en route. 
 
On other incidents attended to, RNLI Lifeguarding Supervisor, Sam Kendrick said:  
 
“There’s a whole range of things that Lifeguards are trained to respond to and be able to treat, it’s not just water based things.  
 
For example, this year our lifeguards dealt with a few occasions with people that have had a sudden collapse, and the lifeguards have been able to arrive on the scene, do their assessment and treat them accordingly and support them until emergency services arrive. 
 
They also attend to more minor injuries, such as cuts from sharp beach stones, or fish stings, from Weaver Fish.” 
 
2025 season in numbers: 
 
• 54 Lifeguards across 9 North Norfolk beaches 
• 345 incidents attended by Lifeguards 
• 173 incidents requiring first aid 
• 44 rescues 
• 5 lives saved 
 
The Council is pleased to provide funding for the lifeguarding services and to work in continued partnership with the RNLI to continually monitor and improve the service.