The Board of Lifesaving (BOL) sets strategy and policy for our surf lifesavers and lifeguards. The Board meets twice a year and has a number of supporting boards and panels that carry out work throughout the year.

This page details some of the projects that BOL is currently working on and lifesaving programs relating to club members.

BOL Meetings

The next BOL and associated committee meetings will be held in November 2010.

Members are encouraged to submit agenda items to their state BOL with as much notice as possible (minimum of one month) for inclusion into the national agenda.

To download a copy of the latest Lifesaving Agenda, including BOL news and information on the Board's current projects, click here.

Lifesaving News

2009 National Coastal Safety Report

MEN CONTINUE TO DIE LIKE LEMMINGS

Australian men are nearly nine times more likely to drown at the beach than women according to the just released Surf Life Saving Australia National Coastal Safety Report. And it is young men who are most at risk with those aged between 30 and 39 recording the highest number of deaths (overall, men accounted for 88% of coastal drowning deaths in Australia).

For more information click here

Public Education Campaigns

Rips – ‘To escape the rip, swim parallel to the beach’

Campaign Launch: 1st December 2009
Identified as the most prominent hazard on Australian beaches, rips are the target of our major public safety campaign for the coming summer. The campaign, which will be predominantly unbranded will target 25 to 35 year old males but will have residual benefit for all Australians.

Following market research on conventional and past approaches to rip education, the over arching campaign title, ‘To escape the rip, swim parallel to the beach’, was decided on due to its overwhelming response rate. It will be the tag line for a campaign that will target all facets of rip education including explanation of what a rip is, how to avoid them and ultimately how to survive or even use them. It is hoped that this approach to rip education will reduce the number of preventable swimming and wading related drownings on Australia’s beaches this summer. STAY TUNED!

Rock Fishing – ‘Don’t put your life on the line’

Campaign Launch: 24th October 2009
The redevelopment of education resources for a targeted public education program for rock fishing is also nearing completion. The campaign is set to be launched in conjunction with community education days to be held in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, for which all partners on the National Rock Fishing Safety Panel will be involved. Your state centre maybe in touch to discuss how your club or branch can be involved with this initiative.

Foreign Nationals

Resource Launch: Late February 2010
This season will see the development and distribution of a tourist and migrant (CALD) beach and surf safety resource. The resource will enforce basic safety messaging in a variety of prominent languages, particularly those that feature in drowning death statistics.

Gear and Equipment News

The National Board of Lifesaving administers the Gear and Equipment Committee of which all states have a representative. The Gear and Equipment Committee undertake extensive evaluation and trials of all equipment to ensure that lifeguards and lifesavers are using equipment of the highest and safest standard.

In February 2010, the Board of Lifesaving approved the following equipment for use in surf lifesaving:

- Thundercat 388 IRB
- Modified Gemini 380 IRB
- Bush Hog ATV
- Modified Midcoast Marine concertina and triangular fuel cells

For a full list of SLSA ‘Approved Gear and Equipment’ and supplier details click here

2010 Awards of Excellence

The national awards of excellence winners were announced at the 2010 Awards of Excellence in Sydney on the 21st August. The awards recognise and reward members who have made an outstanding contribution to the delivery and development of surf lifesaving activities.

DHL National Lifesaver of the Year: David McLean – Marcoola SLSC, Queensland
DHL National Lifeguard of the Year: Lleam Rees – Australian Lifeguard Service, Queensland
DHL National Volunteer of the Year: Graeme Rollins – Ulverstone SLSC, Tasmania
DHL National Assessor of the Year: Larry Platt – Lennox Head-Alstonville SLSC, New South Wales
DHL National Trainer of the Year: Gary Carthew – City of Bunbury SLSC, Western Australia

Meritorious Awards

Meritorious Awards may be awarded to clubs and/or their members and/or the public for outstanding deeds of bravery performed in the sphere of operations of surf lifesaving.

Recipients awarded at the 2010 Awards of Excellence are as follows:

Matthew Slattery – North Avoca SLSC, NSW
Ryan Young – Batemans Bay SLSC, NSW
Anthony McCabe, Cameron Rettke, Scott Meaker, Anthony Rettke and Shane Rettke – Tathra SLSC, NSW
Robert Brown (a non-member of SLSA) – Tathra, NSW
Joanne Lucas – Albany SLSC, Western Australia
Brock Curtis-Mathew (a non-member of SLSA) – Wollongbar, NSW

Congratulations to all winners and finalists.

For further information:pagnew@slsa.asn.au
Page updated:September 2010