AusLeisure

Australia’s leading professional ocean lifeguards are gathering today and Thursday (29th and 30th April) to attend the 19th annual ocean lifeguard industry conference, Managing Risk at Beaches.

Hosted by the Australian Professional Ocean Lifeguard Association Inc. (APOLA), the event is aimed at professional and council-employed lifeguards.

Introducing the conference, APOLA President, Bruce Hopkins, who is the Lifeguard Services Coordinator for Waverley Council at Bondi Beach, explained “over two days professional ocean lifeguards from Western Australia, Queensland and NSW will meet to discuss best practices in rescue, emergency care, community education and client management that is essentially managing risk at our beaches.”

The annual ocean lifeguard industry conference will also provide an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of those ocean lifeguards gaining recognition through meritorious efforts when skill and quick thinking is the only difference between life and death says Hopkins.

He adds “like previous conferences which have given rise to using modern medical approaches such defibrillation, the use of analgesic gases for pain management and advanced spinal trauma management, there is always something new for professional lifeguards to consider when we gather annually.”

APOLA National Field Officer Greg Hackfath, who is the Lifeguard Coordinator at Coffs Harbour adds “the annual conference, being hosted by Coffs Harbour City Council for the third time in the past 20 years provides the ideal forum for Council lifeguard staff from our major centres and biggest tourist destinations to develop improvement in water safety education, beach management and patient care for the millions visitors who frequent our most popular beaches each year.

“Best operational practice for lifeguard services can mean different things in different locations. The importance of skis with rescue sleds, waterproof radio communications systems and portable lifeguard towers for are more prevalent and ensure response capabilities are always improving.”

APOLA media spokesperson and professional ocean lifeguard of more than 20 years, Terry McDermott, who regularly works at busy Bondi Beach says that the pressure on ocean lifeguards to manage beach visitors is greater than at any other time he can remember and that the popular Network 10 prime time television series Bondi Rescue (now in its 10th season and a six time Logie winner), has not just been a godsend for community beach safety education, but has also helped viewers gain an insight into the skill and teamwork required of today’s Council professional ocean lifeguards.

McDermott concludes “the challenge for all Councils who control and manage our beaches is to continually look to improve all aspects of their Lifeguard operations to ensure that lifeguard programs always address community education, risk management and care for our beaches while juggling the competing demands of different recreational activity.

“The continued population shift to coastal areas and growth of water sports including small boating, jet skis, kite boards and commercial activity in learn-to-surf and stand-up-paddle have impacted on the traditional role of Council professional ocean lifeguards. 

“Basically community expectation has risen for Councils to provide capable, highly trained lifeguards with a full skill-set in risk management, rescue and conflict resolution.”

Guest presenters at the conference include Warren Young, Chief Lifeguard, Gold Coast City Council; Paul Chivers, Riskfacilitator, Australia’s leading advocate for risk management systems; Clinton Rose, Beach Services Manager from Warringah Council; Sharnie Connell of NoNSWSharkCull and Pilates guru Daniel Viadet.

With more than 50 of Australia’s most experienced ocean lifeguards attending the conference, a roster of experienced professional ocean lifeguards will remain on-duty year-round at popular beaches including coastal regions of Newcastle, Wollongong and Coffs Harbour as well as numerous beaches in Sydney, the Gold Coast, Perth and Broome.

For more information on APOLA go to http://apola.com.au/

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