Maritime Police will have a more visible presence at the main beach areas, such as such as Cascais, Almada, Nazaré and Algarve as in many there is likely to be a reduction in lifeguards or at some, no lifeguards.

The main bathing areas will be reinforced by the Maritime Police until Sunday. In a week when temperatures are set to continue high. With a national holiday today (Thursday) many people are expected to take a long weekend break and the coastal areas may be the main choice.

As at this time of year the vast majority of city councils no longer have beaches manned by lifeguards, so the Maritime Police will have “a more visible presence, especially at the weekend”.

However in the case of  Cascais, up to October 15, there will be 38 lifeguards, 25 of them hired by the municipality that decided to keep the bathing season until October 15.

According to Alexandre Tadeia, President of the Portuguese Federation of Lifeguards, there is a need to change the way of contracting lifeguards, in order to avoid this situation and ensure safety at beaches .

At present “The assistance to the bathers is paid by concessionaires and many at this moment no longer have the establishments open,” he told the Diarios de Noticais.

He recalled that “since 2008 we have proposed a different model of assistance to swimmers, with the payment of a municipal fee and then a government entity should hire the lifeguards. He added that the incentive model must be reviewed, since most of the lifeguards are students who are already in university at this time.