Lifeguard service begins on the beaches of Sant Antoni de Portmany

The Sant Antoni de Portmany Town Hall launched the lifeguard, rescue, and accessibility service on all the municipality's beaches this Monday, April 14, with the aim of “ensuring the safety of bathers and complying with current regulations,” they explained in a statement.

According to the Department of Environment, Beaches, and Cleaning, this year the service has been extended, starting on April 15 and ending on October 31, two weeks earlier than the previous season.

The team consists of 17 lifeguards, including two boat operators and a coordination manager, who operate on the beaches of Es Pouet, s’Arenal, Caló des Moro, Cala Gració, Cala Gracioneta, Cala Salada, and Cala Saladeta. The service includes seven watchtowers, a first aid post at s’Arenal, and a boat that continuously patrols the coastline.

The coverage schedule varies depending on the season: from 11:00 to 17:00 in low season (April 15 to 30 and October 15 to 31), from 11:00 to 18:30 in mid-season (May 1 to 31 and September 16 to October 14), and from 10:00 to 19:30 in high season (June 1 to September 15).

During the summer months, a specialized lifeguard for assisted bathing is also incorporated, who is responsible for these tasks while still fulfilling general surveillance and rescue duties. In addition, the Es Pouet watchtower has been renovated to improve shade and visibility conditions for staff.

At the same time, beach buoying has been installed to demarcate swimming areas and separate them from zones reserved for nautical activities, complying with regulatory requirements. The removal of dead posidonia is scheduled for May, according to the protocol of the Balearic Government. It will be temporarily stored and returned at the end of the season.

Sant Antoni’s beaches maintain environmental certifications such as the European EMAS Regulation and UNE-EN ISO 14001:2025, as well as the UNE 170001-2:2007 accessibility certification. As in the previous season, the showers will remain closed as a symbolic measure to raise awareness about the drought and the need to reduce water consumption.

The service has been awarded to the company Marsave Mallorca S.L., under a four-year contract with an annual budget of €789,980.65, representing a 74% increase over the previous contract. This financial improvement has allowed for a salary increase of over 20% for beach staff, in accordance with the new sector-wide collective agreement in the Balearic Islands and incorporating the insularity factor. Emergency, evacuation, and rescue plans have also been updated to align with the new contract.