Rescue brigade

He pulled many a job for it through the swimming pool and hit jogging. Mayor Jack van der Hoek of the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland rewarded those efforts today: he passed the coast of Renesse for his exam at the Rescue Brigade. Van der Hoek (62) can now call himself Junior Lifeguard.

“You must have a good condition to dive through the waves and run on the beach through the Mulle Sand,” says Eddy Van Well van de Strandresdingsbrigade Westenschouwen. “That is why especially young people register for this training, so it is quite exceptional that Mr. Van der Hoek is there this year.”

The mayor was the oldest candidate in the company and the only 60s. “It is often thought that only young people can be lifeguard,” Van der Hoek says Omroep Zeeland About his motivation to go through the training. “I hope to show that older volunteers are also very welcome.”

The training for a moment is not, Van der Hoek experienced, who already started his first lessons in 2023. “Then I played a morning or an afternoon and I learned the theory and practice in pieces. Unfortunately, that was not enough to take the exam. That is why I have now made it available for a whole week to complete this training together with fourteen young people.”

Swimming and jogging, Van der Hoek prepared for his exam day. “In my opinion this was still not enough, because the training week was pretty tough,” the mayor said beforehand. “I have made the interim physical tests, so I feel confident for the final exam.”

With his diploma in his pocket, Van der Hoek will immediately make his appearance as Lifeguard on the Zeeland beaches. For the schedule, the beach rescue brigade Westenschouwen can now count on 140 active volunteers.

“We can always use new people, but it seems that we can use enough rescuers this season,” says Van Well.