Beyond Patrol Issue 11 2016

SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND

ISSUE 11 | 2016

New President to lead SLSQ Advanced technology to save lives SLSQ report highlights Queensland drownings

Welcome

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n behalf of Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) I wish to welcome you to the latest edition of Beyond Patrol.

This issue comes to you at a particularly busy time for our organisation, with the warmer weather once again attracting crowds of people back to Queensland beaches. On September 17, SLSQ’s army of volunteer surf lifesavers raised the red and yellow flags across the state for the start of the 2016/17 patrol season. The season will see more than 8,000 surf lifesavers from Forrest Beach down to Rainbow Bay line up to patrol every weekend and public holiday until May next year. Meanwhile, North Queensland surf lifesavers are continuing to patrol after their season started earlier this year.

On the same day, SLSQ released its 2016 Coast Safe Report, highlighting key beach safety and drowning trends across the state. Throughout 2015/16, SLSQ’s lifeguards and lifesavers combined to rescue 3,660 beachgoers across the state. Tragically, despite these efforts, the report identified 11 drownings on Queensland beaches last season, and a further 33 drownings at inland aquatic locations including rivers, dams and lakes.

As far as we’re concerned, even one drowning death is one too many. While significant efforts and advancements in coastal safety have been made in recent years, more can and should be done to protect Queensland swimmers and beachgoers.

Our overarching vision of ‘Zero preventable deaths in Queensland public waters’ is ambitious, and we don’t shy away from that. However, it’s important to recognise that reducing and eliminating drowning deaths across the state will ultimately require a concerted effort from all stakeholders. From state government and local councils, right through to tourism agencies and accommodation providers, everyone has a role to play.

I urge you to read ahead about the latest news, achievements and surf safety strategies coming out of our organisation. The warmer weather will ensure millions of people hit the beach over the next few months and, when they do, you can be sure that our men and women in red and yellow will be out there doing what they do best: saving lives.

John Brennan OAM Chief Exective Officer Surf Life Saving Queensland

Surf Life Saving Queensland 18 Manning Street, South Brisbane, QLD, 4101 t. 07 3846 8000 | w. lifesaving.com.au Beyond Patrol staff and contributors: Writers/Editors: Cameron Ward, Saira Manns Designers: Chloe Koklas, Hannah West

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New president to lead SLSQ into the future

Gold Coast lifesaver Mark Fife OAM will lead Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) into the future, after he was officially announced as the organisation’s new President at its Annual General Meeting in August.

Mark (pictured below) has been involved in the surf lifesaving movement for the past 35 years, having first gained his Bronze Medallion at Batemans Bay in New South Wales back in 1975, before moving to the Gold Coast with his family and joining Broadbeach Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) in 1986.

The highly-decorated surf lifesaver is a Life Member of Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) and, last year, was inducted into SLSA’s Hall of Fame.

With those honours, he became the first person in surf lifesaving history to receive the ‘full set’ of awards, having previously been named as the Australian Surf Lifesaver of the Year in 1997 and the Australian Volunteer of the Year in 2007.

In addition to his national accolades, Mark is also a Life Member of Broadbeach SLSC, the South Coast Surf Life Saving Branch, and SLSQ. In 2013, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the community through leadership roles in surf lifesaving.

future and showing other states how good we are in the advancement of Surf Life Saving,” he said.

SLSQ CEO John Brennan OAM welcomed Mr Fife into the role of President while, at the same time, paying tribute to the efforts of Mr Devlin during his tenure.

It’s a great opportunity to lead the SLSQ Board and Council into a new era of Surf Life Saving.

– Mark Fife OAM SLSQ President

“Mark is the epitome of the iconic Australian surf lifesaver, and I can’t think of a better person to be leading our organisation into the future,” Mr Brennan said.

“We look forward to his leadership as SLSQ continues to grow and cement its position as the state’s peak authority on coastal and aquatic safety.

“At the same time, I wish to thank and acknowledge the outstanding efforts of outgoing president Ralph Devlin AM QC for his wonderful leadership, dedication and contribution to the role across the past five seasons.

“Ralph oversaw a period of tremendous growth and development for Surf Life Saving Queensland, and should be rightly proud of his contribution,” he said.

Having served as the Australian Director of Life Saving for five years and Deputy President of SLSQ for the past 12 months, Mark takes up the role of SLSQ President following the retirement of Ralph Devlin AM QC after five years in the position.

Mr Fife said he was extremely proud to be taking over the key role and leading SLSQ into the future.

“I’m looking forward to meeting and working with our wonderful volunteers around the state, and getting out and about and listening to any concerns that our members may have,” he said.

“It’s a great opportunity to lead the SLSQ Board and Council into a new era of Surf Life Saving.

“It is a position that’s very important to me, particularly being able to lead Queensland into the

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New technology set to save lives

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ew technology and reporting processes adopted by Surf Life Saving Queensland’s (SLSQ) lifeguards and lifesavers across the state will help to minimise incidents, educate beachgoers and, ultimately, save lives this summer.

Moving forward, all lifeguard and lifesaving services across the state will be equipped with ‘smart device’ technology, using iPads and iPhones to log beach conditions, rescues, preventative actions and any other incidents in real-time into a central database monitored by SLSQ’s Surf Communication Centres (SurfCom) on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

The new processes have replaced the traditional pen-and-paper system that have been used by surf lifesavers to record information since the service first started in Queensland almost a century ago.

Officially named the Lifesaving Incident Management System and Operational Console, or LIMSOC for short, the innovative system will have widespread benefits for lifeguards, lifesavers and beachgoers alike, according to SLSQ operations support coordinator Jason Argent.

“With this new technology and procedures we’re now able to monitor beach usage, rescue numbers, first aid treatments and any other incidents as they unfold in real-time and, for us, the benefits of that are huge,” he said.

“At any given time it means that our SurfCom operators can use LIMSOC get a snapshot of exactly what’s happened on the beach that day, or even in the past five minutes, which will help us in terms of managing our assets and manpower, and proactively responding to any incidents.

“For example, if we see there have been a lot of rescues on a specific beach that day, we could use that information to issue public warnings, alert the Westpac Helicopter to perform additional patrols in that area, or even instruct our lifeguards on-theground to close that particular location.

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information from all patrolled beaches across the state.

“The benefits also extend well beyond what happens on the beach; moving forward we’ll be in a much better position to review where the majority of rescues are taking place and, in turn, educate members of the public about the best spots to swim,” Mr Argent said.

“If we notice that conditions are deteriorating at a particular beach we can get on the front foot and issue an alert to encourage the bathing public to head to another location in the interests of safety.

“Importantly, we’ll also be able to monitor longterm trends when it comes to the rescues, first aid treatments and preventative actions being performed by our men and women on the beach and that will help us when it comes to reviewing our services and patrol times,” he said.

SLSQ’s lifeguards have successfully trialled the new technology over the winter months, with volunteer lifesavers adopting it for the 2016/17 season.

Mr Argent said the change in technology was reflective of the organisation’s wider push in recent years to embrace technology and be more proactive when it came to beach safety and drowning prevention strategies.

“Whether it’s rolling out expanded services, testing new equipment, or investigating advanced technology options, we’re constantly looking for anything that can give our lifesavers and lifeguards an edge on the beach,” he said.

“Importantly, it also gives us the opportunity to make quick and educated decisions about how best to use our resources during peak periods,” he said.

“It may sound like a cliché but every second counts during a major rescue operation, and some of these advances could literally mean the difference between a positive outcome and a fatality or serious injury,” he said.

Coupled with SLSQ’s surf surveillance cameras, also monitored at SurfCom, the new technology will provide lifeguards and lifesavers with unprecedented access to real-time data and

In recent years, this commitment to public safety has seen SLSQ develop and implement a variety of innovative and world-class lifesaving services, both on and off the beach.

This includes the expansion of SLSQ’s coastal surveillance network across the state, with 33 cameras now positioned at identified high-risk locations, providing lifesavers with a live stream of information about beach conditions and usage.

Moving forward, SLSQ will continue to build on this network and will trial the use of night-vision technology at Surfers Paradise over the peak summer months.

In addition, SLSQ has also worked closely with councils to install numerous emergency response beacons at unpatrolled stretches of coastline across the state. These beacons provide a vital and instantaneous communication link between the

unpatrolled location and surf lifesaving services, and can be used around the clock to directly alert SLSQ if a beachgoer is in danger and requires immediate assistance.

In the past 12 months SLSQ has also tested the effectiveness of new technology and equipment in patrol, search and rescue scenarios.

“Every year we see more and more people visiting Queensland’s beaches and, for us, the challenge is to respond accordingly and ensure that our services are as effective and efficient as possible when it comes to protecting beachgoers and saving lives,” Mr Argent said.

It may sound like a cliché but every second counts during a major rescue operation, and some of these advances could literally mean the difference between a positive outcome and a fatality or serious injury.

– J ason Argent SLSQ operations support coordinator

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Time flies for Westpac Helicopter

“For the past 40 years the Westpac helicopter has provided a vital service across south east Queensland, with our pilots and crew saving hundreds of lives through direct rescues and assisting countless others through preventative actions,” Mr Gibson said.

“Over the years our services have expanded and our technology has evolved, but one thing that will never change is our unwavering commitment to saving lives.

“We have a world-class team of pilots, crew and volunteer surf lifesavers who are all highly-skilled and highly-trained in their own right and, time and time again, their actions and quick responses have literally meant the difference between life and death for swimmers down below,” he said.

The WLRHS has developed into one of SLSQ’s core lifesaving weapons, operating around the clock with pilots and crew on-call 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

“The Westpac helicopter is a major asset to the surf lifesaving movement in Queensland, not only for the safety of beachgoers below but also when it comes to the protection and wellbeing of our lifesavers and lifeguards as well,” Mr Gibson said.

“There have been times in the past when beaches are closed and the surf conditions have been too dangerous for our lifesavers to be out in the water and, in those instances, the Westpac helicopter is literally our last line of defence and the only asset that can still go out and perform a rescue.

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LSQ’s Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service (WLRHS) is an iconic sight along Queensland’s coastline, having performed in excess of 10,000 missions since its inception, and has forged a reputation as one of the world’s finest aerial search and rescue services.

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On 5 December 2016, the service will celebrate a significant milestone when it officially notches up 40 years of saving lives. From rising floodwaters to raging seas, SLSQ’s helicopter service has been directly responsible for saving more than 850 lives since it first commenced operations back in 1976, often providing the last line of hope for exhausted swimmers struggling to stay afloat.

While the service has undergone significant periods of change and development across the past four decades, chief pilot Paul Gibson said its core vision of saving lives had always remained the same.

“There are 850-odd people out there today who are only alive because of the Westpac helicopter and, for us as pilots and crew, there’s no greater reward than that.

“The helicopter was introduced 40 years ago to save lives, and that’s exactly what it’s done, and what it will continue to do for many years to come,” he said.

On Saturday 24 September, the WLRHS celebrated its 40th anniversary in style, hosting the second annual Heli Ball on the Gold Coast. The annual

event seeks to raise vital funds to support and strengthen the aerial service in Queensland, while providing members of the community with an opportunity to show their support.

service. A pioneer of the service, Gary was largely responsible for extending surf patrols to cover North Stradbroke Island, a decision which has saved numerous lives in the years since.

One of the evening’s highlights came when SLSQ formally honoured and paid tribute to six individuals for their contribution to saving lives through distinguished and sustained service to the WLRHS. These men, many of whom were instrumental in starting the service 40 years ago and building it in the years since, were inducted as inaugural ‘Heli Legends’.

Heli Legend Number 5: Daniel Hoyland OAM Synonymous with the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service, Danny is regularly credited as one of the main driving forces responsible for establishing it in Queensland four decades ago.

One of the original crewmembers on the Gold Coast back in 1976, Danny would go on to spend 24 years saving lives as a volunteer of the service.

Heli Legend Number 1: Garth Bennett ‘GB’ Andrews Garth is credited with establishing the first permanent centre for the Westpac helicopter service in Queensland when he worked tirelessly to introduce a base at Carrara. He was also chiefly responsible for introducing aerial search and surveillance patrols on beaches and waterways as far north as Fraser Island. Garth was inducted as the first Heli Legend.

Heli Legend Number 6: Ian Grant Ian joined the Sunshine Coast service in the mid1980s and spent more than 15 years as a volunteer, eventually being appointed to the roles of senior crewman and examiner. Highly-skilled in first aid and resuscitation, Ian’s skills and qualifications were vital to the service and fellow crewmembers on surf patrols and when attending trauma cases, car accidents and medical transfers.

From rising floodwaters to raging seas, SLSQ’s helicopter service has been directly responsible for saving more than 850 lives since it first commenced operations back in 1976, often providing the last line of hope for exhausted swimmers struggling to stay afloat.

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Heli Legend Number 2: Ron Rankin AM Ron was a volunteer crewmember for 17 years, and was the driving force behind the establishment of a second patrolling helicopter on the Sunshine Coast, critically increasing aerial coverage across Queensland. Ron patrolled in the aircraft for more than 1,000 missions and was twice awarded Crewman of the Year. An active lifesaver for more than 30 years, he has previously served as the president of both SLSQ and SLSA. Heli Legend Number 3: Tom Ward DFC After serving as a pilot in two tours of duty in the Vietnam War, Tom became a helicopter pilot with the service in 1978 and later became chief pilot of SLSQ’s fixed-wing aircraft ‘Vigilance One’. An extremely competent pilot and master tactician in the air, Tom’s crew always felt safe no matter the situation.

Heli Legend Number 4: Gary ‘GT’ Terrell Gary joined Point Lookout Surf Life Saving Club in 1968 and was an active surf lifesaver for more than four decades. Included in this was more than 2,200 volunteer patrol hours as part of the helicopter

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SLSQ’s Coast Safe Report highlights drowning trends and surf safety initiatives Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) will trial new equipment and services this summer after its 2016 Coast Safe Report revealed 11 drownings on Queensland beaches last season and identified six coastal blackspots across the state.

Released on Friday 16 September to coincide with the launch of SLSQ’s 2016/17 volunteer patrol season, the second annual Coast Safe Report highlights key beach safety and drowning trends across the past 12 months and ten years.

Read ahead for a snapshot of this year’s Coast Safe Report.

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SLSQ chief operating officer George Hill ESM said a close look at the statistics reinforced the need to swim at patrolled locations only, noting there had never been a preventable drowning recorded between SLSQ’s red and yellow flags.

The report revealed there were 11 drownings on Queensland beaches in the 12 months from 1 July 2015 through to 30 June 2016, including four in the wider Sunshine Coast region (Maroochydore, Warana, Kings and Teewah Beaches) and three on the Gold Coast (Southport Spit, Broadbeach and Southport Main Beach).

There were also two drownings recorded in North Queensland (Fitzroy Island and Palm Cove), one at Redcliffe, and one on Fraser Island.

Despite increased efforts to educate beachgoers about the importance of swimming between the flags, it is important to note that all drownings occurred at either unpatrolled locations or outside of patrol hours. Tragically, almost 55% occurred less than one kilometre from a patrol service.

Males accounted for 91% of drownings last season, with only one female amongst the 11 victims.

Interestingly, the average age of victims was 44.5 years, up from 41 years the season before, and a significant increase on the ten-year average of 29.

For the second year in a row, the majority of drowning victims were Australian born and/or Australian residents. In fact, in 2015/16, 82% of drowning victims were Australian, representing a sizeable increase when compared to the ten-year average of 58%. This goes against the trend of

historical data, which suggests that people from overseas and/or culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds have been overrepresented in Queensland drowning figures.

SLSQ chief operating officer George Hill ESM said a close look at the statistics reinforced the need to swim at patrolled locations only, noting there had never been a preventable drowning recorded between SLSQ’s red and yellow flags.

“The fact that all drownings on Queensland beaches last year occurred at unpatrolled locations or outside of patrol hours is a tragic reminder about the need to swim between the red and yellow flags at all times,” Mr Hill said.

“We’re confident that most, if not all, of these drownings could have been prevented if the swimmer had taken a few extra minutes to walk to the red and yellow flags.”

By comparison, there has been a total of 81 coastal drowning deaths recorded on Queensland beaches in the past ten years, with 35 (43.2%) of these occurring on the Gold Coast and 18 (22.2%) on the Sunshine Coast and Noosa.

Gold Coast’s tourism hub Surfers Paradise was the most common individual beach for coastal drownings across the past ten years, recording

A review of drowning data within SLSQ’s Coast Safe Report shows that last year: • Favourable conditions and extended periods of warm weather saw beach visitation increase significantly. Roughly 18.68 million people visited one of SLSQ’s patrolled beaches in 2015/16, compared to just 15.75 million and 13.5 million in the two years prior; • There were no drownings between SLSQ’s red and yellow flags; • Ten males drowned on Queensland beaches, compared to just one female; • Summer and autumn were the most common months of the year for drownings, with each recording four;

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• The average age of drowning victims was 44.5 years, up from 41 years the year before; • Six of the 11 drownings occurred on the weekend, with five on weekdays; • 82% of drowning victims on Queensland beaches were Australian born and/ or Australian residents, representing a significant increase when compared to the ten-year average of 58%; and • Roughly 27% of all drownings on Queensland beaches occurred within 200 metres of a patrolled area, while almost 55% occurred within 1km of a patrol service.

eight since 2006, ahead of Green Island in North Queensland with five.

As part of the report, SLSQ has identified six high-risk coastal blackspots across the state, including two on the Gold Coast (Surfers Paradise, and Marina Mirage to Southport Spit), two on the Sunshine Coast (Noosa River to Rainbow Beach, and Discovery Beach to Point Arkwright), Green Island and Fraser Island (ocean side).

Mr Hill said SLSQ would continue to explore all possible strategies and avenues in a bid to increase protection for beachgoers and eliminate drownings along Queensland’s coastline. The agenda for this summer includes trials of a night vision surf surveillance camera at Surfers Paradise, and a continuation of SLSQ’s dusk patrol service at the popular tourist spot over the Christmas holidays.

In addition, SLSQ will be boosting its jet ski patrols at selected locations, increasing aerial patrols via the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service, and seeking to engage further with international tourists about surf safety and education.

“Our vision is ‘Zero preventable drownings in Queensland public waters’ and we remain more committed than ever to achieving that,” Mr Hill said.

“But, it’s important to note that everyone has a role to play when it comes to saving lives up and down Queensland’s coastline, and we’ll be looking to work closely with the Queensland Government, local councils, tourism agencies and all other stakeholder groups over the next 12 months and beyond,” he said.

For the first time, SLSQ’s Coast Safe Report also reported on the number of drowning deaths at inland waterways including dams, rivers, lakes and other publicly-accessibly bodies of water.

In 2015/16 there were a total of 33 drownings at inland waterways across Queensland, with the three most common locations being rivers (33.33%), dams (21.21%) and creeks (18.18%). The average age of victims was 42.9 years, however the data shows that people of all ages are susceptible to drowning death. The oldest victim was 90 years of age, with the youngest aged just five.

SLSQ identified several opportunities to help protect residents and tourists at inland waterways, including the adoption of consistent Australian Standard safety signage at high-risk

A strong and potentially dangerous rip at Main Beach on North Stradbroke Island.

locations, the implementation of key programs designed to improve the swimming ability of Australians, and the development of educational programs designed to improve knowledge and understanding of aquatic risks.

The report’s release coincides with the launch of SLSQ’s 2016/17 volunteer patrol season, which will see more than 8,000 surf lifesavers across the state return to the beach and patrol every weekend and public holiday until May 2016.

Last year the ‘red and yellow army’ of volunteer surf lifesavers spent 352,807 hours on patrol along Queensland’s coastline, performing 110,288 preventative actions to safeguard swimmers, treating 4,611 first aid patients, and directly rescuing 2,124 swimmers through in-water rescues.

Meanwhile, SLSQ’s professional lifeguards performed 700,567 preventative actions, 16,284 first aid treatments and rescued 1,536 swimmers in distress.

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SLSQ looks inland to save lives

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very year Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) invests a considerable amount of time and resources into protecting swimmers through surf patrols and other beach safety initiatives. These efforts have directly saved the lives of more than 135,000 beachgoers up and down Queensland’s coastline since 1930.

In addition to its work on Queensland beaches, it is important to note that SLSQ is also committed to reducing and, ultimately, eliminating drownings in all public waterways across the state.

A recent change to SLSQ’s overarching vision now sees the organisation working towards the broader goal of ‘Zero preventable deaths in Queensland public waters’; in addition to beaches, this encompasses dams, rivers, lakes, lagoons and all other freely-accessible bodies of water.

With that in mind, SLSQ used its recent 2016 Coast Safe Report to shine a spotlight on the number of drownings and aquatic fatalities that have occurred at inland locations across the state in the hopes of providing key stakeholders with a framework for developing appropriate risk management and lifesaving strategies moving forward.

Lake Moogerah

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In the 12 months from 1 July 2015 through to 30 June 2016 there were 33 drownings at inland aquatic locations across Queensland (excluding public and private swimming pools). The three most common locations for inland drownings during that time were rivers (33.33%), dams (21.21%), and creeks (18.18%).

By comparison, across the past three years there were 114 drownings recorded in inland aquatic locations in Queensland, at an average of 38 fatalities per year. Once again, rivers proved to be the most common location, recording 32.46% of all drownings followed by dams (18.42%) and creeks (15.8%). There were also drownings recorded in bays, canals, waterfalls and quarries.

SLSQ coastal safety officer Chantel Fife said the organisation was committed to working with key

stakeholders to improve and boost safety at inland waterways.

“We have all the experience that comes with patrolling and saving lives on Queensland beaches for more than a century, and now there’s an opportunity for us to transfer that knowledge and expertise across to reducing drownings at inland locations,” Mrs Fife said.

“However, unlike beaches, the challenge before us is that the majority of dams, lakes, creeks and waterways where these drownings are occurring aren’t patrolled or manned by any sort of lifesaving service, which means we need to look at alternative options for protecting swimmers.”

As part of its report, SLSQ outlined a number of key opportunities when it comes to eliminating drownings at inland waterways. This included a strong recommendation for all councils and land managers to adopt appropriate and consistent Australian Standard safety signage at high-risk aquatic locations across the state.

“One of the ongoing challenges and frustrations we’ve faced has been an unwillingness amongst some land managers to adopt Australian Standard safety signage which would provide emergency location numbers and outline any potential risks or dangers at that location, and that’s been disappointing,” she said.

“Many international and domestic visitors may not even be aware of the possible dangers associated with swimming at these locations, so it’s really important that any and all hazards are identified through appropriate signage. There aren’t any lifesavers or lifeguards on-site to educate and engage with visitors, so we need to look at other ways of getting that information across.”

SLSQ has also identified the need to develop and implement further programs to improve the swimming ability of all Australians, while rolling out initiatives to increase knowledge and understanding of the possible risks and dangers at aquatic locations.

As the state’s peak advisory body on coastal and aquatic safety, Mrs Fife said SLSQ would continue to work closely with councils and land managers to improve safety across all waterways, having already completed a number of safety and risk assessment audits at key locations this year.

Earlier this year, SLSQ was commissioned by Seqwater to undertake an aquatic audit and risk assessment of several lakes and dams in a bid to reduce the risk of injury and drowning. Amongst others, these locations included Lake Moogerah, Somerset Dam, Wivenhoe Dam and the Enoggera Reservoir.

A recent change to SLSQ’s overarching vision now sees the organisation working towards the broader goal of ‘Zero preventable deaths in Queensland public waters’; in addition to beaches, this encompasses dams, rivers, lakes, lagoons and all other freely-accessible bodies of water.

The audit included an assessment of all potential hazards in and around the water, a review of usage and visitation, and an evaluation of Seqwater’s existing aquatic safety strategies. The process saw SLSQ identify a number of risks including, but not limited to, submerged objects, steep banks and drop-offs, strong currents, and boating traffic.

One of the key recommendations coming out of the audit was the need to install standardised safety signage, with emergency location numbers, to clearly identify and communicate potential hazards. In addition, SLSQ also recommended the installation of a swimming enclosure at nine sites to protect swimmers and ensure a clear separation with boat users.

In total, SLSQ submitted more than 20 high-level recommendations to Seqwater in a bid to reduce potential dangers and offer greater protection for swimmers and visitors.

“Last year there were 33 drownings at inland locations across the state and that’s clearly far too many. We’re committed to saving lives in all bodies of water, but we can only do that by working in consultation and cooperation with all stakeholders including councils, government and land managers,” Mrs Fife said.

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Lifesavers upskill at State Conference

Peta Lawlor said the size and scope of the event reflected the organisation’s commitment to continuous improvement across all facets of operation.

“As an organisation, we’ve been watching over beachgoers and saving lives for the best part of a century, but we’re more committed than ever when it comes to upskilling our members and increasing protection up and down Queensland’s coastline,” she said.

“Importantly, the State Conference provided us with a wonderful opportunity to get lifesaving representatives from all regions across the state in the same room at the same time to prepare and plan for the patrol season ahead.

“Across the weekend, participants were able to learn new skills, test and trial advancements in technology, and set in place a strong foundation for solid growth across the upcoming season and the years ahead.

Hundreds of surf lifesavers and lifeguards from across the state, and around the nation, descended on the Sunshine Coast recently for Surf Life Saving Queensland’s (SLSQ) 2016 State Conference.

Held across three days, the conference incorporated all business and operational areas of Surf Life Saving while providing lifesavers with information on key initiatives for the summer season ahead, and opportunities to upskill.

A total of 53 surf life saving clubs were represented across the weekend from as far and wide as the Northern Territory and North Queensland, right down to Rainbow Bay on the southern tip of the Gold Coast.

The State Conference was the largest surf lifesaving conference of its kind to ever be held on the Sunshine Coast, and the first in Queensland since 2013. SLSQ lifesaving services manager

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“Our members play a vital role along Queensland’s coastline, watching over and protecting millions of beachgoers each and every year, and this Conference has helped them prepare well for the challenges that lay ahead over the next eight months of patrols and beyond,” she said.

Throughout the conference, participants learned from industry experts about all things lifesaving and volunteerism including advanced resuscitation techniques, spinal injuries treatment, governance, Blue Card services, sport safety, member recruitment, sponsorship, and social media communication.

“Last year alone, our lifesavers and lifeguards combined to perform 810,855 preventative actions, 20,895 first aid treatments and rescue 3,660 people,” Ms Lawlor said.

“Importantly, our 2016 State Conference played a key role in upskilling our members and equipping them with new knowledge and information to continue doing what they do best, and that’s saving lives on Queensland beaches,” she said.

Emerging leaders converge in Brisbane

Forty-two young surf lifesavers from across the state recently converged in Brisbane for The University of Queensland Surf Life Saving Queensland Leadership Excellence Program.

empower them to become genuine leaders within their respective clubs and regions.

Volunteer surf lifesavers from all corners of Queensland were selected to attend, representing clubs from as far north as Cairns down to the southern Gold Coast. Across the weekend they worked with senior lifesavers and mentors to harness their communication, teamwork and management skills, all designed to enable and

It is the generous involvement of our partners that enables us to continue to keep our beaches safe.

Surf Life Saving Queensland would like to thank these organisations for their ongoing support.

SLSQ membership development manager Brenda Lofthouse said the program, held at UQ’s iconic St Lucia campus, played a key role in nurturing and developing the next generation of leaders within the surf lifesaving movement.

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D Ensure there is no Danger for: > Yourself > Bystanders > Patient

R Check for Response by talk and touch.

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A

B

C

D

If unresponsive, Send for help by calling 000.

Open Airway and ensure it is clear. If not, roll patient onto their side and clear airway.

Look, listen and feel for Breathing. If not breathing normally, commence CPR.

Start CPR. Give 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths with head tilt. If unable to perform rescue

Attach Defibrillator if available. Turn on and follow voice prompts.

INFANTS: DO NOT TILT HEAD

breaths, continue chest compressions. INFANTS: USE 2 FINGERS TO COMPRESS CHEST.

CONTINUE CPR UNTIL RESPONSE OR NORMAL BREATHING RETURNS.

ANYONE CAN SAVE A LIFE. LEARN FIRST AID. Australian Lifesaving Academy Queensland | P: 1300 766 257 | E: bookings@alaq.com.au