5. Meritorious Awards

Meritorious awards are awarded to affiliated clubs and/or their members and/or the public for outstanding deeds of bravery performed during lifesaving operations of SLSA (during and outside of designated patrol hours).

It is important to note that the SLSA Meritorious Awards aim to recognise excellence in lifesaving and service delivery, measured against industry best practice and operating procedures. It is not to encourage unnecessary risk, neglect safety considerations or Standard Operating Procedures.

Award Categories

Individual Meritorious Awards

• Silver Medallion
  Very high level of risk to rescuer, combined with optimal application of skills and supporting systems. Outcome for patient/s without rescue attempt would have resulted in definite fatality.
• Bronze Medallion
  High level of risk to rescuer, combined with very good application of skills and supporting systems. Outcome for patient/s without rescue attempt would have resulted in a high chance of a fatality.
• Certificate of Merit
  Moderate level of risk to rescuer, combined with good application of skills and supporting systems. Outcome for patient/s without rescue attempt would have resulted in serious injury or possible fatality.
  

Group or Club Meritorious Awards
The group or club award is issued for rescues of exceptional merit, in which a group of members are involved and where no individuals can be singled out for an award.

• Certificate of Merit with Silver Medallion inset
  Very high level of risk to rescuer, combined with optimal application of skills and supporting systems. Outcome for patient/s without rescue attempt would have resulted in definite fatality.
• Certificate of Merit with Bronze Medallion inset
  High level of risk to rescuer, combined with very good application of skills and supporting systems. Outcome for patient/s without rescue attempt would have resulted in a high chance of a fatality.
• Certificate of Merit
  Moderate level of risk to rescuer, combined with good application of skills and supporting systems. Outcome for patient/s without rescue attempt would have resulted in serious injury or possible fatality.
  

Nomination Guidelines

Eligibility

• Rescues, first aids (or other lifesaving actions) conducted during or outside of patrol hours, year-round, on or off the beach. These should be considered above that of “business as usual”.
• The eligibility period of when an incident occurred is not restricted (e.g. an incident that occurred more than 10 years ago can be nominated and considered).
• All nominations are to be submitted via the SLSA Meritorious Awards Nomination Form before 1 August 2024.
• Late nominations will not be eligible for the Meritorious Awards in this period, however, will go into the process for the following period. This does not preclude a Branch or State/Territory independently recognising the person/group.
• SLSA and the States/Territory reserve the right to promote details of rescues and the nominated rescuer(s) internally and externally in promotion of SLS services/clubs/members.
• Nomination for the Meritorious Awards serve as agreement to the conditions as stated above.
  

Supporting Documentation
The SLSA Meritorious Award nomination will be the primary source of information. Nomination forms for other awards will not be accepted as supporting documentation.

The following documentation should be provided with the nomination:

• Incident Report Log
• Supporting statements (e.g. Police, Ambulance, Public Witness statements)
• Information or reports of rescues from media agencies
• Copy of the patrol log (where applicable)
  

Criteria
The following areas form the basis of evaluating each nomination:

• Application of Skills and Resource Utilisation
• Response to situation, what was done and how this went beyond “business as usual”
• Environmental Conditions
• Any bravery or other aspects of notation
  

Circular
2024 Meritorious Awards Circular

Award prize
Certificate

Award sponsor
SLSA

Presentation of award
SLSA Awards of Excellence

Date of circulation
January

Closing date
August

Judging panel
SLSA Meritorious Awards Selection Panel

Contact
rhiannon.brinckman@sls.com.au