Purpose
Lifesaving Service Agreements and Lifeguard Contracts are documents that specify the operations for a particular beach/service or area to which a lifesaving service operates.
Policy
SLSNSW encourages all Clubs, Services and Support Operations to apply a high focus on preventative methods and actions to enable the reduction of injury and death on New South Wales beaches.
Procedure
Lifesaving Service Agreements
Lifesaving Service Agreements (LSAs) between SLSNSW and Clubs, Support Operations and Branches have been developed utilising a risk-based approach to allow all levels of the organisation to plan and implement the most appropriate types and number of lifesaving frontline services required for their relevant area(s), taking into account the following risk elements:
- History and Type of incidents
- Beach visitation numbers
- Prevalent recreational activities
- Weather and climate conditions
- Surf conditions, i.e. High surf
- Existing hazards, i.e. Rock platforms
- State and Local Government/Council requirements
In addition to above LSAs, Clubs and Branches may also have agreements in place with their LGAs/Councils. If an LGA/Council wish to negotiate an agreement with Clubs or Branches, please notify SLSNSW. It is strongly advised that legal advice be sought prior to the agreement being entered into.
Lifeguard Contracts
Lifeguard contracts are a commercial in confidence document between the Contract Manager and Surf Life Saving Services. Surf Life Saving Services manages all Lifeguard Contracts and its contents on behalf of the organisation.
All lifeguard services shall have a lifeguard contract or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the provision of services. Lifeguard contracts are negotiated and agreed upon by the delegated staff member and the Chief Executive Officer.
All lifeguards and lifeguard supervisors shall operate within the parameters of the relevant lifeguard contracts at all times.
Service Area Definitions
- Primary Patrolling Area:
- ‘Beach segment’: sandbar, and adjacent inshore holes and rip currents (approx. 400m)
- Highest level of service provision; constant supervision;
- Use of red and yellow flags;
- Proactive engagement with beach and water users, and focus on preventative actions e.g. reduce the likelihood and severity of incidents;
- Identify persons in difficulty and respond immediately using a rescue tube or rescue board; response using an inflatable rescue boat or rescue watercraft as required.
- Secondary Patrolling Area:
- Additional ‘segments’ either side of the ‘Primary Patrolling Area’ (200-300m either side). These ‘segments’ may include beach, rock shelf, headlands etc.;
- Moderate level of service provision; regular ‘surveillance’;
- Roving surveillance using an all-terrain vehicle, inflatable rescue boat, and/or rescue watercraft e.g. once every 30-60 minutes;
- Proactive engagement with beach and water users, and a focus on preventative actions during roving surveillance;
- Identification and response using an all-terrain vehicle and rescue tube and/or rescue board, or an inflatable rescue boat or rescue watercraft.
- Emergency Response Area:
- Lowest level of service; response to incidents outside Primary and Secondary Patrolling Areas;
- Areas north and south that the service can respond to immediately to potentially affect a successful rescue e.g. within 10 minutes via all-terrain vehicle, inflatable rescue boat and/or rescue watercraft;
- Response alongside other services is likely in these areas;
- Services could be tasked beyond these areas e.g. more than 10 minutes, but a positive outcome may be less likely;
- Clubs and Branches should identify these areas within their Patrol Operations Manuals and Emergency Tasking Procedures.
Scope
Lifesaving Service Agreements shall be completed for the following services:
- ALS/Council Patrol times
- Club Beach Patrols
- Support Operations including RWCs, ORBs and Duty Officers
- Other applicable services such as UAV Operations
Lifesaving Service Agreements Policy
The Lifesaving Service Agreement are required in accordance with SLSNSW Regulation 4b ‘Lifesaving Agreements’ for the proper advancement, encouragement, management, and administration of SLSNSW. The SLSNSW Constitution and By-Laws are binding on all members of Surf Life Saving NSW. As Regulations, the agreement comprises part of the rules framework of SLSNSW and all lifesaving services, including Australian Lifeguard Service (ALS), Australian Event Safety Service (AESS) and the Australian UAV Service (AUAVS) are obliged to execute this agreement.
Clubs, Support Operations and Branches that do not execute the agreement will have contravened SLSNSW Regulations. The agreement is subject to, and will be interpreted in accordance with, the SLSNSW Constitution.
Clubs and Support Operations whose Constitution do not comply with the relevant State Constitution and vary from the above, should take the necessary steps to ensure that the constitution does under the SLSNSW Regulations of Affiliation.
A Club’s Lifesaving Service Agreement shall be negotiated and endorsed by the respective Branch Director of Lifesaving and SLSNSW prior to the commencement of each agreement period.
The persons responsible for the negotiation of the Lifesaving Service Agreements on behalf of their relevant committee/executive shall be the Branch Director of Lifesaving and the Club Director of Lifesaving/Service Captain (or equivalent) of the affiliating Club/Service in consultation with the SLSNSW Director of Lifesaving, the General Manager, Public Safety and Emergency Management and the Manager, Lifesaving.
All Club, Service and Branch Lifesaving Service Agreements shall be sent to SLSNSW and received no later than September 1 of each year of review (agreements may be signed for a period beyond 1 year).
The Board of SLSNSW reserves the right to make alterations to minimum service requirements based on special and/or unforeseen circumstances, provided such is based on evidence or mandated requirements (i.e. change in legislation).
LSA DISPUTE PROCESS
If there is a dispute (i.e. no agreement) between the Club, respective Branch and Surf Life Saving New South Wales that cannot be rectified/resolved during the normal negotiation process, a dispute resolution process can be pursued. The relevant Branch Director of Lifesaving will facilitate negotiations with the State Director of Lifesaving and a resolution.
The dispute resolution process is separate to the granting of exemptions for Clubs and occurs during the Lifesaving Service Agreement Review which is conducted every 2 seasons.
Where a new signed agreement is NOT achieved by the start of the patrol season, the Lifesaving Service Agreement from the previous year will continue until 1st December of the current season.
As per the SLSNSW Regulations they may be subject to sanctions being imposed directly by the SLSNSW Board which may include but are not limited to:
- Issuing of grants available from SLSNSW
- Support of grant applications to external entities
- Member eligibility for SLSNSW and SLSA events and competitions
Special Exemption Requests
In special circumstances clubs/services may request consideration of a special exemption to specified requirements within a lifesaving service agreement. Such a request must be made in writing to the SLSNSW Director of Lifesaving and have the signed endorsement of the Club President and Club Captain, Branch President, and Branch Director of Lifesaving. A special exemption request must be supported by clear evidence/data/need and include a specific plan and timeline to re-establish full capacity.
Note: Were no special exemption has been granted and a club falls below its minimum LSA requirements, there may be implications imposed on the club’s SLSA/SLSNSW Grant Funding, Surf Sports Competition involvement or other organisational awards as deemed by the SLSNSW Board.
Reference
Lifesaving Service Agreement
Patrol Operation Manuals
ALSNSW Lifeguard Contracts (commercial in confidence)
Patrol Review Program