An Emergency Room nurse who collaborated in the attempt to resuscitate the swimmer who drowned on Famara beach this Sunday, November 2, has denounced "the lack of resources and serious deficiencies" of the lifeguard post, which belongs to the municipality of Teguise.
This citizen, who prefers to remain anonymous, has stated in a public complaint that "it is unacceptable that the rescue personnel do not have a complete first-aid kit or adequate facilities to respond effectively to a life-threatening emergency." It should be remembered that this weekend, a man of Romanian nationality died and another of Indian nationality remains missing while swimming on Famara beach.
This health professional has pointed out that Famara beach can be a dangerous environment, depending on the day of the year and the sea conditions.
While he indicated that the dedication and professionalism of the lifeguards who watch over the beach is "unquestionable," he added that "they work without the minimum necessary resources to save lives." "I attest that they did not have everything they needed and, furthermore, it was not operational for use," he stressed in a letter addressed to *La Voz*.
In this regard, he insisted that "we cannot normalize that those who are on the front line of coastal security do so without resources, without conditions, and without institutional support."
Denounces the lack of signage in dangerous areas
This healthcare worker has highlighted that there is no "proactive activity" being carried out to signal the areas of currents on the shore, nor is bathing prohibited in dangerous areas. Furthermore, they added that there are areas that "should be for the exclusive use of athletes" for this reason.
This nurse has asked the Teguise City Council and the Cabildo of Lanzarote to review the conditions of the lifeguard post in Famara, and to provide professionals with essential materials and equipment. "Don't wait for another tragedy to highlight what many of us already know," he insisted.
At the same time, he added that there were four doctors and three nurses in the area who could have provided better quality care and more chances of survival if they had had supplies in the area. Added to this is the fact that the medical ambulance from Arrecife takes up to 40 minutes.
"Talking about prevention is not enough. Acting saves lives," he concluded, signing as "an emergency room nurse who doesn't want to see someone die again without being able to do everything possible due to lack of resources."