Beach services help the disabled

EIGHT beaches in the Balearic Islands will include services for handicapped people this summer, said the Head of the Rescue and Emergency Red Cross centre in Palma, Victoria Avella. There are already beaches in Palma (Arenal, Cuidad Jardin, Can Pere Antoni and Cala Mayor) which have these handicapped beach services, as well as a further two beaches in Minorca (Son Bou and Cala Galdana). Next week these services will also be started up in Pollensa and “very shortly” in a town in Ibiza, added Victoria Avella.
This initiative started on June 15 and will continue until 15 September. It is offered seven days a week from 10am to 6pm on the beaches in Palma.
However, other areas have a more restricted timetable, for example in Pollensa this service will only be offered twice a week.
This service offers people with mobility problems the chance to use supports and amphibious wheelchairs, to help them get into the water.
Special swimming areas have also been cordoned off with this aim in mind, added the Head of the Red Cross Rescue and Emergency Centre in Palma.
When in the sea there are also places for people to leave their supports so they can go for a swim and then return to them later when they wish to return to the beach. The amphibious wheelchairs have been especially designed for those people who have problems walking and guarantee stability and floatability in the water. This service is also comprised of a lifeguard who is on hand to offer assistance to those with mobility difficulties.