The Valencia Local Police will distribute 8,000 identification bracelets on the city’s beaches this summer to help locate minors, dependent seniors, and people with disabilities.
The special beach safety program launched each summer by the City of Valencia includes a new preventive measure this season aimed at families: wristbands for children, seniors, and people with disabilities to minimize the time it takes to locate them in case they get lost or disoriented on the shore.
These water-resistant bracelets will be distributed at the information booth at 65 Pavía Street, next to Cabanyal Beach. The Red Cross will have a similar program and will also distribute them at its stations.
The bracelets include a section to write the name of the responsible adult and their contact phone number. Supplies will be replenished throughout the summer season as they run out.
How lifeguards respond when someone goes missing
When a child or other dependent person goes missing, Red Cross lifeguards will immediately activate a search and rescue operation in coordination with the Local Police.
Experience gained in previous seasons allows for the application of a search technique based on the typical behavior of disoriented people: they tend to walk away from the sun—to avoid glare—and with the wind, since moving against the wind is more uncomfortable.
Knowing these guidelines allows lifeguards to anticipate the direction of movement and shorten search times.
The Councilor for Safety, Jesús Carbonell, emphasized that the bracelets “are being introduced as another preventive tool on the beach” and complement other existing initiatives, such as clothing kits for victims of theft on the beach.
The Councilor for Beaches, Mónica Gil, noted that in crowded areas such as Malvarrosa or Cabanyal, it is common for children to become momentarily separated from their families, and that thanks to these devices, “we can significantly reduce the time it takes to locate them and facilitate a quick and safe reunion.”