beyond autumn 2014 issue 2 the flags - surf life saving nsw · athlete profile ben carberry cyril...

Wet’n’Wild Nippers

First season success

Athlete Profile

Ben Carberry

Cyril BaldockSwimming the

English Channel

ISSUE 2 AUTUMN 2014Beyond

the Flags

2 | Beyond the Flags

Cover photo of Bella, from South Curl Curl, by Vivienne at Mavi Images

[email protected]

Heaps has happened since we caught up with you in the first issue of Beyond the Flags.

People have been rescued, medals have been won, the nation wore boardies to work and our first batch of Western Sydney Nippers graduated with basic surf safety skills.

The Stramit NSW Country Surf Life Saving Championships set the sleepy south coast town of Mollymook on fire in January with Byron Bay SLSC emerging victorious once again.

This event was followed a few weeks later by the State Championships, proudly supported by ClubsNSW and

Gosford City Council on the Central Coast at Ocean Beach and Umina. Almost 8000 athletes took part and thousands more officials, coaches, team managers and supporters were there to cheer them on.

With Aussies now wrapped up too, that’s the end of another successful surf sports season. Congratulations to all the NSW athletes who made the trek to Perth and returned with medals or just some great memories.

And if you’re not into surf sports, you can look forward to a break from the blanket coverage for a bit now. We get that not everyone in Surf Life Saving

competes so we want to thank the lifesavers who deserve Gold medals for keeping people safe on the beach over summer. Our volunteers have clocked up some amazing rescues and first aid efforts both on and off the beach, and in more good news, coastal drownings for the season are down – quite a bit actually.

So as the patrol season draws to a close, we want to thank all 77,000 members of Surf Life Saving NSW for contributing so much to their club and the community for another year. Have a safe and happy off-season, if there is such a thing!

With almost 8000 athletes, 800 officials and more than 15,000 spectators the 2014 NSW Surf Life Saving Championships supported by ClubsNSW was the biggest surf life saving carnival in Australia.

Georgia Miller & Ben Carberry! 2014 NSW Ironwoman & Ironman

1500m$18mcrowd barriers

local economic benefit

35

00

30

00

1200

bot

tles

of w

ater

bread rolls

33

99

med

als

won

To show how big the behind the scenes operation truly was we have collected some stats on how much it took to feed our army of volunteers:

2014 NSW SURF LIFE SAVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

WELCOME BACK!

CONGRATULATIONS

Beyond the Flags | 3

LIFESAVING

HUGE SEASON FOR LIFESAVERSWith the 2013-14 lifesaving season winding down, key statistics are again reflecting the huge role that volunteer lifesavers play every year in keeping our NSW beaches safe.

More than 21,600 lifesavers voluntarily patrolled along the coast during a busy season where an expected 6.5 million people will have visited patrolled beaches by the end of April.

Of these visitors, lifesavers have so far had to rescue 3350 people from the ocean while performing more than 118,000 preventative actions. Preventative actions include instructing swimmers to move out of dangerous areas or ensuring they swim between the flags.

Surf Life Saving NSW Lifesaving Manager, Andy Kent, believes that those statistics emphasise the crucial role lifesavers play on NSW beaches.

“NSW volunteer lifesavers have once again put in a huge effort and reinforced their vital role in keeping our beaches safe. Lifesavers have spent an incredible 526,594 hours on patrol so far this season and will continue to do so until the season wraps up in April,” said Andy Kent.

Despite Surf Life Saving NSW’s best efforts there have also been 22 coastal drownings since July last year although none of these occurred in between the red and yellow flags.

On top of the lifesavers’ efforts, the Surf Life Saving NSW Emergency Response System has responded to an additional 366 call outs for assistance since July and as Andy Kent explains Surf Life Saving has never had a more comprehensive reach as a 24/7 emergency service.

“Our Emergency Response System has again gone from strength to strength, with more calls than ever coming in from Police requesting Surf Life Saving assets to respond to coastal emergencies. With the innovative system now the ‘norm’, Surf Life Saving assets are responding faster than ever before to areas where there are no patrols or after patrol hours have finished.”

21,600active

lifesavers

3350rescues

118,000preventative

actions


BEN CARBERRY:

This edition we chat to Ben Carberry, from Warilla-Barrack Point SLSC on the NSW South Coast. Ben has been a committed competitor for many years and is now enjoying the spoils of some serious hard work!

My advice to aspiring athletes is to just hang in there and chase

your goals.


ATHLETE PROFILE

Congratulations on taking out the Open Ironman at the 2014 State Championships! This is just the second time in 20 years a country athlete has done this, what was that like? Talk us through the race.

I had a lot of nerves going into the race and was looking for a top five finish. The race started with the swim and my goal was to maintain contact with the front pack, I stood up from the swim with Nathan Smith with Kendrick close behind. On entering the board leg I knew I would have to work hard because it’s probably my weakest leg. Back to the beach and Nathan and I had a small break on Kendrick, Smithy sprinted the transition to take the lead in the ski which allowed me to sit on him as we made our way to the cans. After turning the cans I tried to increase my rating and pulled up beside him and had enough in reserve to be able to gain a lead. It was a great feeling running up the beach to win my first Open Iron at the NSW Championships against such a top quality field.

What was it like having Nathan Smith and Kendrick Louis snapping at your heels?

It was very exciting knowing that two of the best Ironmen in the country were right behind me. Expecting them to challenge for the lead allowed me to concentrate on keeping a solid race pace.

You are obviously passionate about the sport and have to work during the week at balancing training. How is that for you? How do you go about finding a balance and financing your goals?

It gets pretty hard at times because my work as a scaffolder is hard physical work and to train as well means that sometimes I feel flat.

Living at home means I have a balanced diet and getting

plenty of sleep when I can is an important

part of my recovery.

How do you prepare for these events, what’s a typical week look like for you?

AM PM

Mon Run & Swim Board & Run

Tue Run & Swim Ski or Kayak

Wed Rest Iron

Thurs Run & Swim Board & Run

Fri Run & Swim Ski

Sat Kayak & Iron

Sun Rest or Patrol

What are your upcoming and future goals in surf sports?

It’s been a great year so far with a couple of ups and downs. Obviously the highlight so far is my Ironman win at State and I’m hoping to make the final at Aussies in the Ironperson. The SIQS series has been great and I hope to qualify for the Kelloggs Nutri Grain series either at the trials or through the series. One of my main goals for the future is to make State and National teams.

What keeps you loyal to Warilla Barrack Point? Obviously NSW loses a lot of athletes to QLD. What are your thoughts on that?

I compete for Warilla Barrack Point because it’s my home club and I’ve competed there right through juniors. We are only a small club but love the competition with the bigger clubs. There is always a group to train with who are always trying their hardest. This year I’ve been able to help with the coaching and it’s made me a better trainer, with the help of head coach Craig Bourke, kayak coach Terry Prosser, swim coaches McKeon and Mac and our veterans who are always there to lend a hand. We have a good training setup. As for Queensland, the winters are much easier to train in and they seem to get a bit more financial support. We have to buy all our own gear and pay all our own travel expenses but there’s no place like home.

BEN CARBERRY:

This edition we chat to Ben Carberry, from Warilla-Barrack Point SLSC on the NSW South Coast. Ben has been a committed competitor for many years and is now enjoying the spoils of some serious hard work!


Motivation is a curious thing; it can make people do unbelievable things that some say just shouldn’t be possible. The right motivation can drive and inspire a person to new frontiers and to break new boundaries.

70 year old Bondi Lifesaver, Cyril Baldock, is a man who is motivated. While most 70 year olds are retired, relaxed and enjoying life in the slow lane, Cyril is anything but slowing down.

In just a few short months he plans to be the oldest person to ever swim the 33.8km journey that is the English Channel and while he completed the notorious swim nearly 30 years ago, Cyril explained what is motivating him this time around.

“It goes back to when I first swam it in 1985; I was only the fifth Australian to successfully cross the channel and my mentor was the famous marathon swimmer Des Renford. Des wanted to get the record as the oldest person to swim the channel but was unable to attempt the swim because of heart problems in his late 50s.

“Des who was a member of Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club passed away in 2001 and I promised him that I would attempt it when the opportunity arose and that time has finally come,” explained Cyril.

The first time he attempted the crossing Cyril managed to swim it in 10 hours and 44 minutes and 29 years later he doesn’t expect it to be any easier.

“There are so many challenges with this thing, the unpredictable winds, freezing cold water and the lonely training regime. Some of my friends and family think I’m a sandwich short of a picnic but they are all 100 percent supportive,” he said.

His training regime is tough and unforgiving which it needs to be to properly condition him for the challenge ahead.

Cyril has been averaging 6km in a pool every day during the week while on Saturday he has been completing 3-4hr ocean swims which he plans to extend to 6-8hr swims closer to departure in August.

For a welcome distraction Cyril recently competed at the 2014 NSW Surf Life Saving Masters Championships supported by ClubsNSW, winning a bronze medal in the Rescue Tube Race. A seasoned competitor, Cyril has taken home many dozens of medals of all different colours including two gold medals at World Championships. After all these years the love of competing has not worn off.

“In regards to the State Champs I would not miss it for anything. I love the camaraderie and competitive spirit of my team members and the opposition, some of whom I have been competing against for over half a century and only get to see for one weekend a year.”

As a life member of the Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club, Cyril has spent 56 years volunteering his time to help others so it comes as no surprise that his promise to Des and the personal motivation of achieving the world record swim aren’t his only motivations for his English Channel attempt.

Cyril is also swimming to raise money for the Melanoma Institute of Australia as a tribute to his friends who have and are currently suffering from skin cancer.

“As a life member of Bondi surf club and a passionate ocean swimmer, I have spent most of my life enjoying the Aussie beaches, sun and surf. While I have been fortunate to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle that so many Australians enjoy, many of my friends have not been as lucky.

“I have lost many friends to Melanoma cancer and right now I have a close friend who is suffering from skin cancer.”

You can support Cyril on his incredible journey by visiting: www.everydayhero.com.au/event/CyrilsSwim

AGE NO BARRIER FOR CYRIL BALDOCK:

2013 Average Channel Swim Time

Successful Solo Swims in 2013

August Water Temperature

100

14-18°C

14h10m


Cape Gris Nez,France

Average Swim PathThis is influencedby tide, weather & swimmer’s ability.

Shakespeare BeachDover, England

Distance33.8km

START

ENGLISH CHANNEL

FINISH

“There are so many challenges

with this thing, the unpredictable

winds, freezing cold water and the lonely

training regime.”


NSW’s newest Nipper club located at Wet’n’Wild Sydney celebrated the final day of a highly successful first season on Sunday 30 March 2014.

The partnership between Surf Life Saving NSW and Wet’n’Wild aims to bring beach safety teachings to a whole new generation of kids growing up away from the beach and targets a known blackspot demographic for coastal drownings. Around 300 kids and their parents have taken part in the program and the season concluded with participants showing off their skills in a mini surf carnival.

Jo Stubbs, whose son Harry is in the Under 10s group, says she has been extremely impressed by the standard of instruction given by the surf lifesavers conducting the program.

“We live so far away from the beach but my son loves it so we thought it was really important for him to be beach aware and safe. The focus on things like rips, swimming between the flags and even CPR is amazing – it is such a comprehensive program, which really surprised me,” said Ms Stubbs.

Harry has enjoyed the program so much that his parents have now invested in his very own nipper board and are looking to take his passion for surf lifesaving even further.

Debbie Christmas of Chester Hill is also thrilled with the opportunities the junior program has provided for her grandson Jayden, who received his Nippers/Wet’n’Wild pass as a Christmas present.

“The program is brilliant. Jayden is thoroughly enjoying it, making loads of friends, learning new skills and improving his aerobic fitness. Due to the positive experience, Jayden now wants to join the lifesaving program at Dee Why SLSC and is very keen to take this passion further.

“We live on an island – everyone needs to know how to swim. Jayden is going to get better skills for the beach. Too many people go to the beach and have heard the swim between the flags message but don’t understand how to read the waves, read the surf and stay out of trouble,” said Ms Christmas.

KIDS GO WILD OUT WEST

“We live so far away from the beach but my son loves it so we thought it was really important for him to be beach aware and safe. The focus on things like rips, swimming between the flags and even CPR is amazing – it is such a comprehensive program, which really surprised me”


WET’N’WILD

Parent Training for upcoming seasonIn a major coup for the program, 40 parents have taken part in training towards becoming Age Managers in conjunction with SLSNSW staff next season. The parents have also completed their Resuscitation Certificate under the guidance of trainer Doug Hawkins from Coogee SLSC.

“Parent involvement is a key focus in the future success of the Sydney Wet’n’Wild Nipper program and next season we aim to have nippers led by a combination of parent Age Managers and qualified surf lifesavers,” said Doug Hawkins.

“The kids will enjoy the additional involvement from trained family members and parents will continue developing their coaching and teaching skills. It will also see the start of our higher level award training as these parents proceed to complete the requirements of their Surf Rescue Certificate. This allows us to prepare for our first batch of nipper graduates to become fully qualified junior lifesavers in year three of the Sydney Wet’n’Wild Nipper program,” said Mr Hawkins.

It wasn’t only the parents who were trained in vital lifesaving skills. More than 50 nippers completed the requirements for their Resuscitation Certificate in February, under the tutelage of SLSNSW trainer Stuart Massey.

“Nippers learnt how to call an ambulance in an emergency situation and how to perform CPR. What was most pleasing during the training was the enthusiasm of the participants and willingness to learn new life saving skills that could one day save a life,” said Mr Massey.

Ripper NippersSurf Life Saving NSW prides itself on being an inclusive movement and strives to give all children equal opportunity to foster a love of the beach and learn about surf safety. The incredibly popular Ripper Nipper program caters for children with disabilities and additional needs.

Ripper Nippers enjoy the same fun weekly activities as their peers with additional assistance and support provided by an experienced and caring team.

Dianne Batcheldor, whose son Sebastian takes part in the U11 group, says he has picked up many new skills along the way.

“Sebastian is part of the kids classified as having special needs as he is deaf and autistic however he is in the under 11 group with the other kids and takes part in all the same activities. He is behind a little bit in picking things up but he is picking them up eventually which I think is just amazing,” said Ms Batcheldor.

“Safety in the water was the initial reason why we enrolled Sebastian in the program however since taking part the additional benefits like the friendships and camaraderie as well as all the skills is just invaluable,” she added. “I love that Sebastian is surrounded by the committed young surf lifesavers that have been a real influence on him and have mentored him through the entire program”.

For further information on the Wet’n’Wild Nipper program visit our website www.surflifesaving.com.au and view pictures from the carnival at facebook.com/surflifesavingnsw.


For somebody who has spent so much of his life, saving other people, Manly lifesaver Zane Ludlow found himself in need of help when he was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2008.

Zane Ludlow, 32, has been involved in Surf Life Saving for 28 years, since he was just four years old. Following in his dad’s footsteps he quickly became a passionate competitor winning a number of medals at Branch and State Championships in a number of water events and represented Sydney Northern Beaches at the Interbranch Championships for five years.

He has volunteered at a number of surf clubs including Dee Why, Freshwater, South Narrabeen and finally Manly Life Saving Club where he has remained in a leadership role as the IRB Coordinator for a number of years. As Zane explains, he truly lives and breathes the movement.

“I love everything about Surf Life Saving, it’s just like a big family and it’s such a good thing to be involved with for sure. It’s unbelievable to see how much we’ve grown over the years and hopefully we can continue to keep growing,” he said.

Apart from all his involvement in surf sports, Zane is first and foremost a passionate lifesaver. He’s been a volunteer lifesaver for more than 15 years and a paid lifeguard for Manly Council for five, rescuing countless people who have gotten into trouble in the surf.

In 2005 Zane was awarded a Courage Award at the branch level for an off-duty rescue at Cronulla where he saved three people from the same family who all got caught in a fast moving rip current.

Following his kidney diagnosis he continued to stay on the beach, helping others whenever he could, refusing to let his illness take over his life.

“After four years I was told I’d have to start doing dialysis up to three times a week for eight hours at a time as my kidneys weren’t functioning properly. But it never stopped me living my life, doing patrol and working full-time,” explained Zane.

In June of 2013, Zane was placed on a donor list for a new kidney when doctors realised his organs needed to

A LIFESAVER WHO NEEDED SAVING ZANE LUDLOW

“I was told I’d have to start doing dialysis up to three

times a week for eight hours at a time... But it never stopped me living my life, doing patrol and

working full-time”

be replaced. Following the diagnosis he said he was shocked at the number of people who offered to help.

“It definitely feels weird relying on and asking people for help as I don’t like doing it and I feel bad but it’s so great to know there are so many people offering to help you in times of need.”

His mum volunteered one of her kidneys but following six months of tests doctors weren’t confident that her kidneys were going to be fully compatible.

Zane never lost faith and recently struck some serious luck when doctors found a kidney from a donor that was an exact match for his body. In March he underwent a kidney transplant.

“So far everything is working great so I couldn’t be happier at the moment. I was sent home a week early because my body had recovered better than expected and I realise how lucky I am finding a kidney that suits my body after only eight months when it can often take years,” said Zane.

Despite a long recovery process ahead of him, Zane’s spirits are high and he’s already planning his first holiday in many years and further down the track, his much anticipated return to lifesaving with a renewed determination.

“It honestly does make me look at and appreciate life a lot more. I’ve basically been given a second chance at everything and I’m not going to take it for granted.”

Surf Life Saving NSW wishes Zane a speedy recovery and looks forward to the day that he can make his much anticipated return to the beach.


The quick thinking and professional response from a Woonona Surf Life Saving Club patrol prevented a tragic spinal injury or worse when an 18 year old man broke his neck in the surf recently.

Troy Johnson was filling in as Patrol Captain on what he thought should have been a quiet day with small surf and clear skies, when disaster struck.

The young man had been swimming with his mates when he dived into the surf and hit his head sharply on the shallow sandbank, instantly breaking his neck in the process.

Troy explained that luckily the incident had occurred in the flags and members of his patrol were immediately on scene.

“We didn’t know how serious it was at the time but I could tell it was bad and so we got him above the high tide line immediately to assess him,” he said.

It was soon apparent that the young man was possibly paralysed, with minimal feeling in his arms and legs.

The team immobilised his neck and refused to move him, assessing the

damage and keeping the young man calm until the paramedics arrived.

At the hospital it was revealed that he had broken the C5 vertebrae and the fluid from around the spine had been breached. The man had emergency surgery with a neurosurgeon to fix the damage.

While he knew it was bad, Troy only realised how serious it was after hearing from the hospital a few days later.

“Following the operation the doctor said that the break was such that if there had been further movement of even two millimetres, the result may have been that the patient could have stopped breathing and may have died. He also told me that the best possible result if this had happened was that he would have been a quadriplegic,” explained Troy.

Instead, following his successful surgery, the young man was released from hospital after two weeks and is

now walking around a short distance with a cast around his chest and neck area.

Reflecting on what could have been, Troy has nothing but praise for his young patrol, most of whom are under 18.

“It was a fantastic and calm response by everybody that day. We each had our roles to play and I truly believe that the only reason that man is alive today is because he injured himself at a patrolled beach in the flags. If he was on another beach, his mates could have unintentionally moved him the wrong way and he may have died but the lifesavers were there to take control of the situation.”

Since the incident the club has had a huge influx of interest in the Spinal Management course run by Surf Life Saving NSW after witnessing firsthand the importance of having the right knowledge to treat an injured person and potentially save a life.

To speak to someone about doing Spinal Management training in your local area please call 02 9471 8000.

PATROL TEAM PREVENTS A TRAGEDY


Not many people have the opportunity to use their Surf Life Saving skills to venture overseas but for Jordan Smith of Ocean Beach and Mitchell Hermens of Cooks Hill, their dreams became a reality when they were selected for the New Zealand Lifesaving Exchange Program.

After completing his Bronze Medallion at the age of 15 with Ocean Beach SLSC, Jordan has gone on to secure a number of lifesaving awards including his IRB Crew Certificate, Silver Medallion Basic Beach Management, Radio Operators Certificate and Advanced Resuscitation Techniques Certificate. He was selected to participate in the City to Country Lifesaving Exchange over the Australia Day Long Weekend and was lucky enough to then be selected for the New Zealand Lifesaving Exchange Program.

The NZ Program ran from 27 February – 4 March 2014 with Jordan and Mitchell visiting Surf Life Saving Northern Region Headquarters, Muriwai Beach, Bethells Beach and Piha Beach in an intensive five-day program, as well as taking part in the Intermediate Guard School.

“I applied for the program for the experience and was very surprised to be selected to go to New Zealand,” said Jordan.

“The best part was trying new things like rock jumping – something you just don’t have the opportunity to do every day. I would like to bring back to my club Ocean Beach things I learnt about different patrol methods and the way the New Zealand guards interact and engage with people. I loved that New Zealand had a strong focus on youth especially with the Lifeguard School,” he added.

Surf Life Saving NSW Lifesaving Officer, Shaun Hudson, who accompanied Mitchell and Jordan to New Zealand says that participants are selected based on a range of things such as their eagerness, involvement and overall attitude to the Country to City and City to Country Exchanges, their physical capabilities, the awards they hold and their involvement within their individual clubs.

“Mitchell and Jordan showed they had good leadership qualities and experience in challenging surf conditions. During the program Mitchell and Jordan took on leadership roles within their groups and were able to further develop their skills in a practical and relatable environment,” said Shaun.

Excerpts from Program Report

1 March 2014

After dinner our search and rescue skills were put into practice with two land based night search scenarios. A mock Duty Officer was chosen and a SurfCom was established to keep the groups in constant contact. We were given initial information from an ‘emergency’ call and began a search near the clubhouse. After finding the first patient, we were told that the patient was in a party of three and two patients were still missing. Groups expanded their search area, modified their search techniques and found the patients. For many this was their first search and rescue exercise.

2 March 2014

On Sunday 2 March we took part in an exercise that developed our tube rescue skills in large surf. Approximately 30 minutes into the exercise a series of large waves rolled through, with a number of people caught out and hit by successive waves breaking on us, many losing their fins and tubes in the process.

The three nearest instructors sprang into action waving for assistance from the IRB and RWC that was providing water safety coverage. Within minutes, all participants were returned to the beach. The exercise allowed all of us to better understand our capabilities in large surf.

LIFESAVERS EXCHANGE SKILLS IN NEW ZEALAND


MEET ILLAWARRA’S NEW DIRECTOR OF LIFESAVINGSurf Life Saving NSW would like to welcome the new Director of Lifesaving for the Illawarra Branch, Anthony Turner.

Anthony has been involved in Surf Life Saving for 25 years and has been a member of Thirroul Surf Life Saving Club for just as long.

During his time with Thirroul he has held many positions including First Aid Officer, Patrol Captain, IRB Captain, Club Captain and finally President of the club for the last four years.

The Australian silver medallist is also a passionate Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) competitor and is responsible for introducing IRB racing to Thirroul

SLSC. The club is now a powerhouse in the sport with one of the strongest competition teams in the country.

As Director of Lifesaving he plans to implement a number of significant changes in the region including providing assistance to clubs with low patrolling numbers, retaining younger members and continuing to work closely with Council’s lifeguard service.

“I think it’s very important to not only retain our junior members but to entice them to get involved in development pathways and exciting new opportunities in emergency response such as Duty Officer roles and support operations,” said Mr Turner.

YOUNG LIFESAVER HERO IN TRAIN EMERGENCYIt was a normal Tuesday morning at Roseville train station on 18 March 2014 and Long Reef SLSC cadet Charles Daley was waiting to catch his 7.15am train to school. Charles joined Long Reef as a nipper in September 2005 and has been with the club ever since.

When the train doors opened people were yelling and screaming for help as a man had collapsed from a sudden heart attack. Charles felt confident having done his Surf Rescue Certificate in December 2011 and recently his Bronze Medallion in December 2013.

The 15 year old dropped his school bag on the platform and jumped onto the train preparing to commence CPR. As he reached the man, the patient began to vomit so Charles rolled him into the recovery position, cleared his airways and loosened his tie. Charles along with another commuter reassured the man for 15 minutes until paramedics arrived and took over.

Charles, not wanting any fuss, slipped away quietly into the crowd making his own way to school as he did not want to be late. Arriving at school, he

showered and freshened up for the day ahead. It wasn’t until a passenger who witnessed the incident contacted Charles’ school St Joseph’s College and informed the Deputy Principal (prior to that neither the school nor Charles’ Mum had any idea of what had occurred on the train trip).

Charles’ mother Jane was thrilled by the knowledge that one of her children would step up voluntarily to help someone in need.

“It doesn’t surprise me that Charles would do this as he’s very confident in his abilities and always the go-to member of the family if you need some action. We always thought it was important for our kids to learn surf safety and then the opportunity to do the Surf Rescue Certificate and Bronze Medallion through the club was something we thought would be invaluable,” said Jane.

“My father passed away from a heart attack on a golf course with no one around him able to administer CPR. I can’t help but think if there had been someone like Charles around, this wouldn’t have happened. I feel very

strongly that everyone should have some sort of basic training in first aid and CPR, because you just never know when you might need it, even on your way to school!

“The surf clubs do an amazing job offering opportunities to members to get these skills and I am proud of Charles doing his part,” she added.

Charles has been at Long Reef SLSC for nine seasons having gone through the nippers and cadet program. During these programs he has gained confidence in his abilities through being on patrol at Long Reef and also on exchange to Pacific Palms and Bellambi Surf Clubs. This season Charles completed his Bronze Medallion with dad Joe and sister Isabella.

Charles will be nominated for a SLSA Meritorious Award for his quick thinking and outstanding actions.

Above: Anthony Turner


SURF CLUBS EMBRACING QUALITY CLUB PROGRAMSurf Clubs across the state are increasingly embracing the Quality Club Program. Twenty two surf clubs in NSW currently hold Bronze status or higher including Dee Why SLSC which became the first club from the Sydney Northern Beaches Branch to receive the award.

A big congratulations also goes to Caves Beach SLSC and Tea Gardens-Hawks Nest SLSC who became the first and second clubs in the Hunter to achieve Silver level status in the program.

Surf Life Saving NSW President, Tony Haven, praised clubs for following the program which helps surf clubs put in place more integrated and professional systems to run their club.

“This achievement highlights the hard work, dedication and motivation the members of these 22 surf clubs have in creating stronger clubs and safer beaches within their community and hopefully we will continue to see more and more clubs continuing to embrace the program.”

The Quality Club Program is a tool for clubs to utilise for reviewing their current activities and ensure best practice is being achieved in all areas of club operations and management.

This includes governance, finance, member development, education lifesaving and training. There are three levels to work through -Bronze, Silver and Gold.

You are invited to a very special event

The opening of the Fallen Lifesaver Memorial at Coogee Beach at 10am on 27 April 2014.

Randwick Council is building a national memorial honouring lifesavers who have given their lives serving Australia in war. Renowned sculptor Alan Somerville has handcrafted a magnificent bronze statue of a digger and a lifesaver to commemorate the contributions of a distinct group who

rose from protecting beachgoers at home, to fighting for Australia in wars throughout the world.

The memorial will be opened on the final day of the NSW patrol season, while the names of those surf lifesavers who lost their lives in combat will be engraved in a remembrance wall which will be added to the memorial site in 2015. It is hoped that the memorial will become one of only a handful of national war memorials erected outside Canberra.

Every member of Surf Life Saving in Australia is invited to attend. The event also marks the closing of the NSW patrol season and will include a mass surfboat landing, a procession of SLS and community and school groups, nippers, representatives from the ADF and the RSL, military bands and a community BBQ.

Members and families of those who served are invited to share their stories, find out more about the memorial or watch the video by visiting the website www.fallenlifesavers.com.au.

TELSTRA IS CELEBRATING OVER 10 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIPTo watch our tribute to the amazing work of surf lifesavers around Australia, visit sls.com.au/Telstra

OUR MISSION

“To save lives, create great Australians and build better communities.”

SUMMARY

Surf Life Saving NSW is the state’s major water safety and rescue organisation, and with almost 77,000 members, is one of the largest volunteer movements in Australia.

The primary role of Surf Life Saving NSW is to save lives on our beaches, while other activities include developing our members through education, leadership and surf sports programs.

There are 129 surf clubs and 11 Branches in the state which are affiliated with Surf Life Saving NSW, stretching from Fingal Rovers SLSC near Tweed Heads, to Pambula SLSC on the Far South Coast.

For contributions or suggestions please contact SLSNSW Marketing on 02 9471 8000 or email [email protected]

SLSNSW endeavours to ensure all information contained in this publication is correct and true, however

accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies or mistakes contained in the publication.

Sports pictures by Stephen Chu.

Surf Life Saving New South Wales

T +61 2 9471 8000 F + 61 2 9471 8001 E [email protected]

3 Narabang Way Belrose NSW 2085 | PO Box 307 Belrose NSW 2085 Australia

Fundraising Authority No. CFN11033 ABN: 93 827 748 379

Surf Life Saving NSW wishes to thank the following sponsors and supporters for helping our volunteers protect

lives on the beaches each year.

National Supporters

Government

State Sponsors

Preferred State Suppliers

@SLSNSW

/SURFLIFESAVINGNSW

@SLSNSW

beyond autumn 2014 issue 2 the flags - surf life saving nsw · athlete profile ben carberry cyril...

Documents