SLS has standard operating procedures (SOPs) that relate to the conduct of certain activities. These may include:
- activity zoning, e.g., keeping boardriding and swimming areas separate
- a breach of the peace
- emergencies involving body retrieval
- environmental factors such as tsunami warnings
- inappropriate behaviour
- insufficient numbers to meet your LSA
- junior activities
- lightning
- lost property
- risk management processes
- marine creatures such as marine stingers, sharks and crocodiles
- marine pollution
- media liaison
- missing person(s), in and out of the water
- opening and closing a beach
- peer support
- reports and forms
- use of SLS equipment
- use of social media
- water safety.
While your patrol captain is ultimately responsible for how the beach is effectively managed during a patrol, it is important for you to be familiar with these SOPs. They help you to monitor your own work and ensure your continued compliance with SLS requirements. They are available for all members to access through the SLS Members Area Document Library. Your SLS state centre may also have its own SOPs relating to matters specific to the region in which you patrol, such as those relating to performing stinger net drags in northern parts of Australia.
It is important to remember that there are a number of internal and external factors that will have an impact on your local SOPs, particularly the constantly changing legislation that they support. The following factors may cause changes to be made to your local SOPs:
Internal:
- Changes to the SLS organisational structure
- The introduction of new technologies to complete work tasks
- Changes to SLS policies and guidelines
External:
- New or amended legislation
- New or amended International Lifesaving Federation position statements
- Changes in political climate
- Changes in community expectations
Any updates to your local SOPs or the SLS policies they help you enact will be communicated via the ‘news and events’ menu within the SLS Members Area. You should monitor this page as this is how SLS communicates the implementation of new work practices and services as well as other important information that can impact patrol operations.