DEAR VALUED PATROL MEMBERS,
You may be aware that city beaches are now closed. SNB Beaches are to be closed also.
Attendance on patrol is now your own choice. If for any reason you do not want to attend, then the club will understand. We only ask that you advise your PC that you won’t be attending.
In this time of great upheaval your family is most important. You may be the sole income earner for your family or self employed. You may have elderly or sick relatives. Any reason is a reasonable reason not to attend.
Please give considered thought before thinking you are obligated to attend patrols because you are not.
If you are a PC and do not or can not attend please let us know.
From next weekend, SRCs are not required on patrol.
Measures Moving Forward
Below is the measures going forward across SNB for patrol.
Clubs to Provide:
- Surveillance patrol of 1 Beach Management, 1 IRB Driver, 1 IRB Crew (more if members want to participate).
- Patrol from club house (still continue social distancing).
- Clubs will be on lock down so no other members are to be at the Club participating in any other activity (all gyms and changing rooms are closed).
- Patrol out of uniform so as not to be seen as carrying out ‘lifesaving’ activities. There will be the requirement of a skull cap in the event that a rescue needs to be carried out.
- IRB to be on the beach on the trailer….no other equipment. Reason for on the beach is it will take too long to get it from sheds etc in the event of a rescue.
- Beach closed signs erected by either Club or Council Lifeguards.
- Clubs sign in with SurfCom and app as usual.
- Possible reduction in patrol hours i.e. 10am – 4pm.
- Beaches to be closed – NO red and yellow flags.
Branch to Provide:
- 6 support skis instead of 3 doing surveillance patrols from water.
- 1 Duty Officer.
- 1 Rescue CoOrdinator (AH DO) patrolling
- 1 Rescue CoOrdinator (Backup AH DO) patrolling
- Further PPE if needed
Council to Provide:
- Council Lifeguards as normal
- Rangers for beaches Warriewood to North Palm Beach as first point of call if needed to remove large crowds from the beach. Police will also attend but Rangers would utilise Council resources rather than police who can be last resource.
- Extra signage of Beach Closed
Some Clubs have noted that whilst they will perform rescues if needed, they will not be participating in first aid treatments.
However, it is stressed to members that for anyone participating in any treatment, please use the masks (provided by Branch) along with gloves.
With 5 weekends left of this season and Easter is within those 5 weeks which will put an extra 2 days into the mix.
Thank you again for your patrol attendance this season. We will update you if anything more changes.
SLSNSW will continue to ensure relevant information and important updates are added to its resource section of the SLSNSW website:
https://www.surflifesaving.com.au/members/members-info/coronavirus-covid-19-updates-resources-for-slsnsw-clubs/
DIBBSY & PAULA