The City Council, Local Police and the beach concessionaire will provide extraordinary security, cleaning, rescue and lifeguard services
Nearly 60 officers will be part of the special operation on the beaches of Benidorm for the Night of San Juan
Once again, it is a reminder that bonfires and access to beaches with glass containers are prohibited.
This morning, the Blue Flag, the Qualitur Flag, and the Ecoplayas Flag were raised on Levante Beach
Around 60 officers will be part of the special operation on the city's beaches for San Juan Night, which will be celebrated next Monday night. The operation was prepared by the City Council, the Local Police, and the beach concessionaire. It was finalised at the coordination meeting held this morning, during which the extraordinary services that will operate on the beaches that night were defined.
The Councilor for Beaches, Mónica Gómez, chaired the meeting, which was also attended by the City Councilors for Citizen Safety and Street Cleaning, Jesús Carrobles and Luis Navarro; the Local Police Superintendent; personnel from the Beaches and Environment department; and representatives from the municipal Technical Services, the concessionaire, and Civil Protection, which, as every year, will collaborate in this operation.
The councilor explained that the operation "is very similar to previous years and tailored to the needs typically encountered during San Juan, a date when our beaches are usually very busy, as both residents and tourists flock to the beach to participate in this tradition and experience the shortest and most magical night of the year." Gómez insisted that, as stipulated in the municipal ordinance and as a standard rule, "access to the beach with glass containers, bonfires, and the use of so-called 'flying lanterns' are prohibited."
The special security operation will consist of 12 Local Police officers on the beach, including officers and commanders, as well as a Zodiac from the maritime service with two additional officers who will be on duty from 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. However, starting at 10:00 p.m., the service will be increased with one officer and five officers distributed throughout the centre, Levante beach, and Rincón de Loix to ensure safety.
The lifeguard and rescue service will operate extended and uninterrupted hours until 2:00 a.m. There will be three ambulances with medical personnel at the three beaches (Avenida de Bilbao, Paseo de Colón, and Vicente Llorca Alós with Calle Aigües), in addition to a rescue boat and three first-aid stations (one in Levante and two in Poniente). Levante beach will be staffed by four lifeguards, Poniente beach will have another four, and there will be one in Mal Pas. In total, more than twenty lifeguards and medical personnel will be distributed across the three beaches.
During the night of San Juan, the accessible beach station at Elche Park will be open from 9:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., making bathing easier for people with mobility problems. In addition, both the public restrooms located near the beaches and the footbaths will be open until 3:00 a.m.
Regarding beach cleaning, staff will be on hand starting at 9:00 p.m. to carry out manual cleaning and distribute trash bags to groups of people on the beach. In addition, cleaning with a screening machine will begin at 3:00 a.m. on the 24th, "so the area must be cleared before 2:00 a.m. to avoid any incidents," the councillor stated. In total, more than 20 people will be involved in the cleaning service during the afternoon and evening of San Juan.
Gómez has asked for "cooperation" from those who visit Benidorm's beaches during San Juan night to "ensure that the cleaning service on the 24th is as short as possible and our beaches are in perfect condition for use early Monday morning."
Raising of flags
Meanwhile, this morning saw the formal raising of three flags already flying on Levante Beach. These were the Blue Flag awarded by the European Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), the Qualitur flag, and the one awarded by Ecoplayas. These three distinctions recognise the excellence of the water and sand quality and the services offered. The three flags flying today join those already flying: the "Q" for Tourism Quality and the one awarded by the Institute for Spanish Tourism Quality (ICTE) for Sustainable Tourism.
The event was attended by Mayor Toni Pérez, Councillor for Beaches Mónica Gómez, as well as several members of the municipal council.
