If you are required to close the beach due to the prevailing conditions or an emergency, the laws of the local authority should be followed.
Follow the steps below when closing the beach.
- Determine whether the water area is to be evacuated.
- Inform your surf lifesaving communication centre that you are about to close the patrolled area.
- Activate the emergency evacuation alarm and raise the red and white quartered flag.
- Inform everyone that the water area is being closed and give the reason for the closure.
- Lower and remove the red and yellow patrol flags and the black and white quartered flags.
- Post ‘Swimming not advised’ or ‘Beach closed’ signs at identified beach access points and where the flagged area was located.
- Continually monitor all water areas.
- Maintain minimum personnel, qualifications and equipment as per your lifesaving service agreement (LSA).
- Maintain an active presence on the beach to advise/warn beachgoers.
- An appropriate record should be made in the relevant logbook or operations app giving an outline of the incident.
Refer to your SLS state centre SOPs for more detailed information.