Emergency numbers boost safety at Coronation Beach

Signs have been placed at the entrances to Coronation and Buller beaches as part of an initiative to improve response times to medical emergencies.

Beach emergency numbers are a simple code — Coronation Beach’s north entrance is CV11 — which can be given to 000 operators, allowing them to more easily narrow down the location of serious incidents.

Chapman Valley Shire president Kirrilee Warr said the signs are a potentially lifesaving tool for beachgoers.

“If there is an emergency, first responders are now supported with the BEN signs and can use their unique location information when calling 000,” she said.

“Coronation Beach is a world renowned, extremely popular beach visited by thousands each year, yet it is isolated and BEN signs will play a vital role during emergencies into the future.”

BEN signs have been installed along WA’s southern coast since 2017, and have so far been referenced to St John Ambulance about 500 times.

The Shire of Chapman Valley received a State Government grant to install the signs, with 12 local governments in WA’s north eligible for up to $50,000 to expand the BEN program.

“I congratulate the Shire of Chapman Valley for leading the northern rollout and thank the other shires working with the McGowan Government to help bring BEN signs to their beaches,” Fisheries Minister Don Punch said.

The signs were named after Ben Gerring, who died in a 2016 shark attack in Mandurah. His brother Rick was the initiator of the project.

“Although nothing can ever bring my brother Ben back, knowing that the BEN signage will save many lives gives me some closure and a legacy that will never be forgotten,” Rick Gerring said.