Beyond Patrol Issue 14 2017

SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND

ISSUE 14 | 2017

Membership growth a boost for SLSQ Veteran pilot lands for the final time Lives saved in dramatic rescues

Welcome

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n behalf of Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) I would like to welcome you to the latest edition of our quarterly magazine, Beyond Patrol.

With the winter season now upon us, there has been a natural drop-off in the number of people visiting Queensland’s beaches. Importantly, however, that doesn’t change or impact upon our efforts behind the scenes when it comes to saving lives.

Despite the cooler weather SLSQ remains extremely active on the beach, with volunteer surf lifesavers across North Queensland continuing to patrol each weekend and members of SLSQ’s Australian Lifeguard Service out in force every day of the week. In addition, the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter continues to patrol regularly across South East Queensland and emergency response groups remain active in all regions.

Since its inception, the surf lifesaving movement in Queensland has been driven by a single, shared goal of protecting beachgoers and eliminating drowning deaths. It’s this mission that prompted a group of surfers to set up an old line and belt at Tweed Heads on the Gold Coast back in 1908 and begin practising rescue techniques.

In the years since, there have been significant changes and developments to surf safety, but our passion for saving lives has never wavered. Today, our organisation operates under an overarching vision of ‘Zero preventable deaths in Queensland public waters’ and that continues to underpin every decision made, both on and off the beach.

Through their efforts, our surf lifesavers and lifeguards have developed into an integral part of the Queensland community, and their importance has never been greater. Since that line and belt was first set up more than a century ago, our men and women have combined to directly save the lives of more than 130,000 people along the state’s coastline. This is a staggering figure by any means and raises a genuine question about where Queensland would be without the ‘red and yellow army’.

Some of these more recent rescues are outlined on page four, providing just a small glimpse into the outstanding bravery that is demonstrated along Queensland’s coastline on a daily basis.

As we move forward into the 2017/18 season and beyond, SLSQ remains more committed than ever to increasing protection for swimmers and, ultimately, eliminating drowning deaths in all public waterways across our state.

John Brennan OAM Chief Executive 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: Writer: Cameron Ward Designer: Chloe Koklas

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Lifesavers hone skills at Championship events

There was plenty of action on the Sunshine Coast recently when almost 300 surf lifesavers from across the state cast off the winter blues and hit the surf at Kawana Waters for SLSQ’s 2017 Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) Championships.

The high-octane IRB event, held from July 1-2, saw competitors from 19 clubs battle it out for surf rescue supremacy and one of the prestigious state titles up for grabs.

Aside from the spectacle of racing, the Queensland IRB Championships serve to enhance lifesaving skill through competition, with all events across the weekend simulating ‘real life’ patrol and rescue scenarios.

Meanwhile, just weeks later, almost 470 lifesavers dived into the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, taking their patrol skills from the ocean to still-water in pursuit of more gold at SLSQ’s Pool Rescue Championships. Much like IRB racing, pool rescue competition has a strong focus on the core skills of lifesaving, with a range of events including line throws, manikin tows, obstacle swims, and tube rescues.

SLSQ sports manager Stuart Hogben said the championships are a great opportunity, and challenge, for lifesavers to take the skills they regularly use on beach patrols and transfer them into a competitive environment.

“The IRB and Pool Rescue Championships provide surf lifesavers from across the state with a really important opportunity to work on their skills, refine their patrol and rescue techniques, and hone their craft during the winter months,” he said.

“One of the main reasons that surf sport was first introduced into the surf lifesaving movement all those years ago was to help keep our members fit and rescue ready during the winter off-season, and the IRB and Pool Rescue Championships are a perfect example of this.

“Every race across the two events is specifically designed to challenge the abilities and skills of

our members, and that includes everything from reading the surf and managing conditions through to rescuing and assisting patients from the water.

“Importantly, the skills that our competitors need to win gold at events such as these are the exact same skillset that they regularly use to patrol Queensland’s coastline and protect local beachgoers,” he said.

In that sense, Mr Hogben said the championships were designed to recognise lifesaving skill and application as much as athleticism.

“Every second counts when there’s a life on the line, and being able to assess a specific situation and then respond quickly and efficiently are vital skills for our members,” he said.

“Sporting events such as these not only bring those skills into the competitive arena and seek to recognise those people who are not only great athletes in their own right, but also world-class surf lifesavers as well.”

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Lives saved in dramatic rescues

Christian Nunez thanks his rescuer, nipper Jayke Menefy

“You’re up, mate.”

Those were the last words a Gold Coast mum said to her 12-year-old nipper son before he raced out into a treacherous rip to rescue a drowning father on Easter Sunday.

Just hours earlier, Jayke Menefy and his family had been enjoying a day out surfing at Double Island Point on the Sunshine Coast, unaware of the lifechanging and lifesaving events that would soon unfold. On the drive home, along an unpatrolled stretch of beach at Teewah, they noticed a distressed group of people on the water’s edge and immediately stopped to investigate.

A hundred metres out to sea, 38-year-old fatherof-two Christian Nunez was struggling to keep his head above water, having been knocked over in the surf and dragged out by a strong flash rip. After

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battling the rip and rough surf for more than 45 minutes, he was quickly losing energy and close to giving up.

Using the lifesaving skills that he’d learnt through years of nipper training at Mermaid Beach, young Jayke quickly sprung into action, grabbing a surf board and paddling out through the difficult and tricky conditions to stabilise Christian and help keep him afloat before further help could arrive.

“It might seem strange to some parents that I told Jayke to grab his board from the car and head out into dangerous water, but he has been a nipper since 2013 and is a very strong swimmer. I know his capabilities,” explained mum Nicole.

The youngster, who weighs in at almost 60kg lighter than Christian, was hailed a hero for his efforts and was recently recognised at Parliament

House in Canberra with Surf Life Saving Australia’s prestigious Rescue of the Month award.

“It was then that the man driving the car stuck his head out the window and yelled, ‘heart attack’.”

SLSQ President Mark Fife OAM paid tribute to Jayke’s actions, saying it would have been a much different outcome were it not for his speedy response.

Grabbing his radio and first aid kit, Stephen immediately alerted fellow lifeguards before jumping into an ATV and heading straight down to the patient. Within three minutes of the incident occurring, lifeguards had attached a defibrillator and, over the course of the next 15 minutes, administered three shocks while Stephen performed continuous CPR. Thanks to their efforts and quick response, the patient regained consciousness and was later transported to hospital in a stable condition.

“The surf lifesaving movement is built on the premise of helping someone in their hour of need, and that’s exactly what Jayke did,” he said.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that his bravery and actions saved a life that day and, without Jayke, we could be talking about an Easter tragedy and another coastal drowning on our beaches.”

Importantly, similar acts of bravery and selflessness are regularly performed each and every week by SLSQ’s front-line patrolling members. The courage exhibited by the men and women in red and yellow on a regular basis not only serves as a testament to their training, but also a tangible demonstration of their dedication to saving lives.

Despite the winter weather, it has continued to be a busy period of time for Queensland’s army of lifesavers and lifeguards, with a number of recent rescues reaffirming the crucial and ongoing role they play along the state’s coastline.

On the Sunshine Coast, senior lifeguard Stephen Stewart has been watching over and protecting beachgoers for almost five years. During that time he has spent countless hours training and preparing for all types of possible scenarios. In June, those years of training kicked in when he was called upon to perform his first resuscitation.

Stephen was on patrol at Mooloolaba, keeping an eye on a group of mullet fishermen, when he noticed one of their four-wheel drives change course and start heading directly towards the lifeguard tower.

The surf lifesaving movement is built on the premise of helping someone in their hour of need, and that’s exactly what Jayke did that day.

– Mark Fife OAM SLSQ President

“It was very different in real life and there was a lot going on, but we are all thrilled with the outcome,” Stephen later said about his first resuscitation.

Meanwhile, just one week later, another potential tragedy was avoided in North Queensland thanks to the quick actions and response of local surf lifesavers.

Suzi Kerr had been drifting at sea for more than an hour after she was dragged away from her boat by a strong current, while fishing with her husband off the coast of Cairns. Her husband quickly notified emergency services, with nearby surf lifesavers immediately launching a jet ski and inflatable rescue boat to join the search party.

Lifesavers scoured the choppy conditions, conducting an extensive search for the missing woman. Thankfully, she was eventually spotted by members of the public who then worked with surf lifesavers to successfully retrieve the woman and assist her back to shore.

For lifesavers and lifeguards, assisting someone in their hour of need is all part of the job. But it’s important to remember that weeks, months, and sometimes years of training are dedicated to ensuring they are ready to act when that moment arrives.

“I was on the beach, when I noticed a car pull away from the group and come veering up the beach, towards me at the tower. I started thinking that something was wrong,” recalled Stephen.

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Flying Bird lands for the final time

There’s no doubt our service is what it is today because of Peter Bird. His efforts over the past 15 years, both in the air and behind the scenes, have been nothing short of outstanding.

–P aul Gibson Chief Pilot

For the past 15 years, veteran pilot Peter Bird has been saving lives from the sky.

Having flown for the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service (WLRHS) since 2004, including a ten year stint as chief pilot, Peter has been instrumental in building it into one of the most respected aerial search and rescue authorities in Australia.

In June, Peter (pictured right) hung up his flight suit for the final time after announcing his retirement following 35 years in the aviation industry. It brought to a close a highly-decorated career, which saw him fly thousands of missions and directly save the lives of countless beachgoers along the way.

However, when asked to nominate his most memorable mission, it was one away from the surf that sprung to mind.

In 2011 Peter was heavily involved in SLSQ’s rescue efforts during the devastating floods across South East Queensland, when the WLRHS was tasked to assist with emergency call-outs and search and rescue missions within the Lockyer Valley and Esk Region. Battling low visibility, heavy winds, and torrential rain, Peter and his crew worked tirelessly across the week to directly save the lives of seven people via winch rescues.

“All missions have their own special meanings to me, but our operations during the Brisbane floods, and all of the rescues that we did over that week, are certainly a standout,” he said.

“I personally flew 30 hours that week, and it was amongst the hardest flying that I’ve ever done. We did a lot of rescues and our crews did an amazing job – I was proud of each and every one of them.

“On the whole it was a very proud moment for myself and for Surf Life Saving Queensland as an organisation, but it was very scary too I might add. The rain that was happening during that time was horrendous; I’ve flown all around the world in helicopters and I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said.

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In addition to his work in the air, Peter oversaw the integration of multi-engine helicopters into service, significantly improving both safety and flying efficiency. He also introduced the use of night vision goggles, and was the driving force behind SLSQ’s successful bid to fly the Polair helicopters on behalf of the Queensland Police Service.

SLSQ chief pilot Paul Gibson paid tribute to Peter, saying his legacy and impact would be felt for many years to come.

“There’s no doubt our service is what it is today because of Peter Bird. His efforts over the past 15 years, both in the air and behind the scenes, have been nothing short of outstanding,” Mr Gibson said.

“On behalf of the entire service, and the wider Queensland community, I’d like to thank Peter for his dedication, commitment, and contributions.

There are countless people out there who were given a second chance at life, thanks to his dedication and bravery.”

New recruits take to the sky Meanwhile, with the 2017/18 patrol season already on the horizon, the WLRHS ranks have been boosted in recent months with the addition of three new volunteer crewmembers.

Long-time lifesavers Scott Andrews, Nicola Wood, and Kathryn McKenzie will transfer decades of collective experience from the surf to the sky when they commence aerial patrols along South East Queensland’s coastline. In doing so, they join four full-time crewmembers, eight pilots, six lifeguards, and 26 other trained volunteers who make up the WLRHS. For Scott Andrews, joining the service was a natural progression after a lifetime of involvement in surf lifesaving. In addition to regular beach patrols at Surfers Paradise, Scott has extensive experience across SLSQ’s operations support, having previously held a range of other roles including National Radio Officer and the State Communications Advisor for SLSA.

As a full-time emergency service nurse, Northcliffe’s Kathryn McKenzie brings a unique and diverse skillset to the WLRHS team. Her medical training and emergency care background are supported by significant experience across all areas of surf lifesaving.

Meanwhile, Nicola Wood joined surf lifesaving at Ellis Beach in Cairns, before moving to the Gold Coast in 2010 and linking up with Northcliffe. She has worked as a professional lifeguard across South East Queensland for a number of years, and is currently in the second year of a medical degree.

WLRHS chief pilot Paul Gibson welcomed the latest group of recruits, saying they were deserving of their place within the service.

“The selection process for recruiting new volunteers is thorough and rigorous, so our three

newest members have all well and truly earnt their positions,” he said.

“Applicants were assessed on a wide range of criteria, ranging from lifesaving qualifications and patrol experience through to general health and fitness, amongst others.

“There are roughly 10,000 patrolling members across Queensland and, of those, there are less than 30 who are volunteer crewmembers with the helicopter service, so it’s an elite group in that sense.”

Despite the cooler weather, the WLRHS continues to remain active across South East Queensland, conducting regular patrols in addition to search and rescue missions along the coastline.

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Membership increase a boost for SLSQ A strong focus on recruitment, sustainability, and volunteer development is continuing to pay dividends for Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ), with the organisation recording annual growth in its total membership for just the second time in the past seven years.

New figures released by SLSQ in recent weeks have revealed its six branches and 58 surf life saving clubs across the state encompassed a total of 31,093 members in 2016/17, reflecting an overall increase of 3.1 per cent when compared to the 30,139 members recorded the year before.

Importantly, this is the first time that SLSQ’s total membership has exceeded 31,000 since mid-2013, and also represents the organisation’s highest annual growth rate since 2009/10.

The overall increase was underpinned by solid growth across a number of key areas including junior activities (two per cent), active juniors (six per cent), active seniors (two per cent), and associate (four per cent) membership categories, amongst others.

The number of total active patrolling members also increased across the past 12 months, from 8,910 last season to 9,013 in 2016/17, ensuring greater manpower to safeguard Queensland’s coastline.

Read on for the full story.

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The benefits of a strong and diverse membership base not only flow down through to all levels of SLSQ, but also extend to the wider Queensland community.

SLSQ membership development manager Brenda Lofthouse said the recent growth and development was the result of considerable work behind the scenes, along with a renewed focus on the longterm sustainability of the surf lifesaving movement.

“Our members are the lifeblood of our organisation, and it’s been really pleasing to see such positive growth across a number of different categories this season. The fact that we recorded an increase in our junior activities members and our patrolling members is a really positive sign for the future of the movement,” she said.

“The benefits of a strong and diverse membership base not only flow down through to all levels of SLSQ, but also extend to the wider Queensland community through additional resources and patrolling members on our state’s beaches.

“In the past few years we’ve seen a steady, albeit minor, downward trend in our overall membership, but it’s important to recognise this has been largely consistent with a lot of other volunteer organisations in Queensland and right across Australia.

“As a result, there’s been an extraordinary amount of work that’s been going on behind the scenes to address and reverse that trend this year and in the seasons to come,” she said.

Ms Lofthouse said, in recent years, there had been a renewed focus on long-term membership sustainability, with a number of key programs and initiatives introduced to attract and retain volunteers.

“The volunteering landscape has changed and evolved significantly in the past ten to fifteen years alone, not to mention the past century since the surf lifesaving movement was first established and it’s important that we recognise that and adjust our efforts accordingly,” she said.

“It’s no secret that we live in a time poor society – between work, family, and everything else in between there are a lot of conflicting commitments all competing for our members’ limited spare time.

“As a volunteer organisation, we need to be constantly reviewing how we’re engaging with new and existing members, what we’re offering them in terms of development opportunities, and how we can maximise their involvement within surf lifesaving.

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“Our members come from all walks of life and it’s important we have a diverse approach for the way that we recruit, retain, and engage with them,” she said.

As an example, two years ago, SLSQ launched its Family Participation Program to engage with the parents of junior surf lifesavers and ensure they were aware of the opportunities available to them within the movement. The idea being, if parents were going to spend a few hours at the beach each weekend watching their children participate in Nippers, why not encourage them to use that time to volunteer and help share the workload.

The interest in this program since its inception has been overwhelmingly positive, with more than 20 clubs adopting the initiative in the past season alone, resulting in a number of additional volunteers at a club level.

Another key program launched by SLSQ in recent years has been the Lifesaving Pathways Project, an extensive and interactive website and video series designed to highlight the wide range of opportunities available to people within surf lifesaving (lifesavingpathways.com.au).

“For years there’s been a common misconception when it comes to surf lifesaving that you need to be young and super fit to get involved, but that’s simply not the case,” Ms Lofthouse explained.

“One of the ideas behind the Pathways Project was to highlight just how many volunteer opportunities were available within surf lifesaving, be it on or off the beach.

“We’re obviously always looking for new patrolling members but, at the same time, there are plenty of opportunities available behind the scenes for anyone who isn’t a strong swimmer or doesn’t want to get their feet wet.

“It also allows us to directly communicate with our existing members and helps us highlight the pathways that are available to them if they want to progress further within the movement and into more specialised lifesaving roles, be it at a club, regional, or state level.”

In addition to sustainability, membership development remains a key focus area for SLSQ with a number of key programs rolled out which specifically focus on upskilling the organisation’s volunteers.

Recently, SLSQ held its annual Breaka Youth Excellence Program on the Sunshine Coast, bringing together almost 80 young surf lifesavers, aged 15-17, from across the state. The threeday program aimed to develop and harness the involvement, leadership, and responsibility within the movement.

Across the weekend participants took part in a series of activities focusing on leadership, team building, mentoring, communication, negotiation, and problem solving.

Ms Lofthouse said the program played an important role when it came to retaining and developing SLSQ’s younger members.

“Many of the participants who have come through the program in previous years have since taken on leadership roles within their clubs and regions, which is a wonderful outcome.

“And, just as importantly, we also know the program has positive impacts on their personal and professional lives outside of surf lifesaving as well.

The skills and life experiences that participants gain over the weekend enhance their career prospects and ensure they are in a better position to contribute to their local communities,” she said.

The Breaka Youth Excellence Program was specifically introduced to engage with these younger members in the hope of keeping them motivated and involved in the movement for many years to come.

Moving forward, SLSQ will continue to pursue positive membership programs to build upon its recent growth and enhance the recruitment and retention process.

“Historically speaking, the 15-17 age group is one of the categories where we’ve seen a dropoff in membership, particularly as school, social activities, and other competing interests begin to take their toll,” she said.

“It’s great to see a growth in our total membership across the past 12 months, but our challenge now is to replicate this in the years to come,” Ms Lofthouse said.

“The Breaka Youth Excellence Program was specifically introduced to engage with these younger members in the hope of keeping them motivated and involved in the movement for many years to come.

“With that in mind, we’re continuing to invest much time and resource into reviewing and tracking our membership data in a bid to identify any short- or long-term trends that we need to address next season and beyond.”

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Palm Beach lifesaver named Summer Surf Girl

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fter 12 months of fundraising, and thousands of hours spreading the surf safety message, Palm Beach lifesaver Shelley Roberts was officially crowned this year’s Summer Surf Girl in front of a packed audience at Brisbane City Hall in on 7 May.

The evening signalled the end of Surf Life Saving Queensland’s (SLSQ) year-long fundraising initiative, which has now injected in excess of $16 million into surf clubs across the state since its inception in 1964.

At its core, Summer Surf Girl is intended to be a member development program which seeks to engage with female members across Surf Life Saving and develop their leadership skills and experience both on and off the beach.

All money raised is distributed directly back into participating clubs to fund vital surf safety initiatives, purchase new equipment, and cover the costs of training volunteer lifesavers.

This year, 13 fully-qualified female surf lifesavers, from Etty Bay right down through to the Gold Coast, combined to raise an incredible $410,000 for their respective clubs.

In determining a winner, judges assess a range of criteria including funds raised, first aid and CPR skills, patrol skills, community awareness presentations, and innovation.

For Shelley, who has been a member of surf lifesaving for the past 20 years, entering the program was a natural progression in her desire to

Supporting Program Partner:

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give back to the community and help her club at the same time. As part of her prize Shelley (pictured below) was given the keys to a brand new Holden Spark, thanks to Zupps Mt Gravatt, presented by Jordi Blanco, Dealer Principal. She will now spend the next 12 months acting as an ambassador for SLSQ to help raise the profile of the movement and spread the surf safety message far and wide.

“This program really means a lot to me. I had an epiphany last year where I realised there is more I could do for my club, and I had a lot to offer, so I signed up for Summer Surf Girl and put in at least 10 to 20 hours a week working on different programs and events,” Shelley said.

“I initially entered to raise funds for our club, increase our profile, and boost club morale, but I soon realised there was so much more to the program.

“Personally, I grew as an individual, developed new skills and friendships, and experienced things I have never done before. Not only did it raise funds and boost morale, we brought our club together in so many ways,” she said.

It has certainly been a busy year for Shelley, who successfully juggled a raft of Surf Girl commitments with her full-time job as a research fellow at Griffith University and regular patrols at Palm Beach

on weekends. Shelley said the opportunity to represent her club and the wider movement was more than worth the effort.

“This was one of the proudest and most incredible moments of my life, especially seeing the reaction of my fellow Palm Beach members,” she said.

“Our club has never won this title before, and considering how much we pulled together and put into the program this season, it was really special to see it had paid off.

“I can’t wait for the year ahead, and there is a lot I want to be able to do to promote the Summer Surf Girl program. It is a leadership and development program and I want to spread the word on how much lifesaving does for the community,” she said.

In other results from the evening, Mermaid Beach lifesaver Monica Wilkie was named this year’s Runner-Up, while Jo Morgan from Ayr was recognised as the Highest Fundraiser after raising a staggering $66,126 for her club.

SLSQ chief operating officer and chairman of the judging panel George Hill ESM paid tribute to all

of this year’s entrants, saying it was an extremely difficult decision to narrow it down to one winner.

Above: 2017 Summer Surf Girl participants

“We’ve seen some wonderful female surf lifesavers come through the Summer Surf Girl program in the past five decades, and this year’s entrants were no different,” he said.

“Shelley demonstrated incredible lifesaving skills, and her CPR and rescue skills were of the highest standard. Along with that she demonstrated that she has an unparalleled commitment to her club and her community.

“In saying that though, it was far from an easy decision. I must also praise our runner up Monica Wilkie. Monica also demonstrated a huge amount of skill in her beach knowledge and rescue techniques and I applaud all her enthusiasm and endless motivation she contributed to the campaign.

“But all of these young women performed exceptionally well, not only during the final judging but throughout the entire program. It was very difficult to distinguish a winner, as each entrant has been a fantastic ambassador in their own right for surf lifesaving over the past year,” he said.

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SLSQ partners with Mantra Group to save lives

protect Queensland beachgoers and, ultimately, help reduce drowning deaths across Queensland.

“Our overarching vision as an organisation is to achieve ‘Zero preventable deaths in Queensland public waters’ and we see this partnership playing a key role in helping us achieve that moving forward.”

Mr Brennan said the partnership would help SLSQ directly target ‘at risk’ beachgoers across Queensland.

“Historically speaking, international and domestic tourists have been overrepresented in our state’s drowning figures, and reversing that trend has been one of our key focus areas in recent years,” he said.

Proud Business Partner:

Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) has joined forces with one of Australia’s leading accommodation providers, Mantra Group, to help educate beachgoers and save lives up and down the state’s coastline.

The new partnership, announced in June, will see Mantra supply guests at their 55 hotels and resorts across Queensland with vital water and surf safety information to help keep themselves and others safe. The initiative will not only support SLSQ’s front-line beach patrols, but also play a key role in its efforts to eliminate drownings deaths within all public waterways across the state.

“It’s fantastic to partner with an organisation such as Mantra Group who share our commitment and passion for saving lives and protecting Queensland beachgoers,” he said.

SLSQ chief executive officer John Brennan OAM said the organisation was proud to be partnering with Mantra Group to help spread the surf safety message.

“With many of our Peppers, Mantra, and BreakFree properties located along the Queensland coastline, it is our responsibility to raise water safety awareness and to especially let our international guests know the only place to swim in the surf is between the flags,” said Mr Johnsson.

“Our volunteer surf lifesavers and professional lifeguards do an outstanding job each year, watching over and protecting millions of beachgoers, but they couldn’t do it without the crucial support of our partners such as the Mantra Group,” he said.

“We’re really proud and pleased to be partnering with Mantra to spread the surf safety message,

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“Importantly, this partnership provides us with an invaluable opportunity to directly engage and communicate with visitors to Queensland, and provide them with information about how to protect themselves in and around the water. If we can encourage tourists to stay safe and swim only between the flags, then it will make the jobs of our patrolling members that much easier.

Mantra Group chief operating officer Tomas Johnsson said it was a natural fit between the two organisations.

“Surf Life Saving Queensland is one of the largest volunteer-based community service organisations in Australia. We are trying to help the more than 30,000 members volunteering at surf clubs all over the state by spreading the surf safety message and striving towards zero preventable deaths in Queensland public waters,” he said.

Students whet their appetite for surf sports

Two hundred students hit the surf and sand on the Gold Coast in April as part of an exciting initiative rolled out by SLSQ and The University of Queensland (UQ).

The second annual UQ Secondary School Surf League Championships saw students from high schools across South East Queensland line up at Coolangatta to compete in a raft of surf sports events across the day. The competition seeks to introduce school students to competitive surf lifesaving, and allow them to learn new skills while

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.

testing their abilities against the surf and other youngsters their age.

Palm Beach Currumbin State High School was awarded the UQ Cup after taking overall honours ahead of Marymount College and Sunshine Beach State High School.

SLSQ thanks The University of Queensland for its continued support of this initiative.

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

R Check for Response by talk and touch.

S

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