Surf Life Saving Australia launches ‘Give an F about the Flags’ new summer safety campaign

December 6, 2023

Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) has launched a new national safety campaign designed to get more people swimming between the flags.

With the campaign presenting a light-hearted approach aimed at changing beach behaviour, SLSA Chief Executive, Adam Weir advised “the campaign is a fun way to remind people that the red and yellow flags mark the safest place for people to swim and is where surf lifesavers and lifeguards are keeping watch over beachgoers.”

With last year seeing no drownings ‘between the flags’ on Australia’s beaches, Weir added “the message this summer is simple. Find a patrolled beach via the BeachSafe APP or BeachSafe website and swim between the flags.”

With a significant element of the campaign aimed at young males, four time Nutri-Grain Ironman Champion Ali Day is backing its message.

Day stated “young blokes continue to take risks when visiting the beach and as a result, they are the group most at risk of drowning on our beaches.

“Surf lifesavers are there to keep everyone safe. We don’t want people taking risks, we want everyone to return home to their loved ones and enjoy the beaches safe.

“So listen to the advice of surf lifesavers this summer, find a patrolled beach and stay between the red and yellow flags."

Coinciding with the opening of the World Conference on Drowning Prevention (WCDP) in Perth, the ‘Give an F about the Flags’ campaign launched yesterday online, with the campaign to be rolled out nationally across TV, print, online and outdoor media.

The campaign speaks directly the statistics released as part of the 2022/23 National Coastal Safety Report released last week by SLSA that shows:

125 drowning deaths occurred during the past 12 months
Men continue to be over represented, accounting for 82% of all drowning deaths in the past 12 months.
50% of drowning deaths occurred to older adults (aged 55+ years)
66% of drowning deaths happened more than 1 kilometre from a patrolled beach
Alarmingly, 31% of drowning deaths were nearby residents to the drowning location
Rip currents were involved in 22% of this years coastal drowning deaths
5 million adults have been unintentionally caught in a rip current at some point in their life.

Drownings occurring outside the flags
With 100% of all drownings last year occurring outside of flags, the WCDP has this week seen debate on whether beach safety messages should also include survival skills for those in danger when outside the flags.

Here Bruce 'Hoppo' Hopkins, President of the Australian Pool and Ocean Lifeguard Association (APOLA) and multiple Olympic swimming champion Dr Shane Gould have each advocated floating skills as a survival method.

Image credit: Surf Life Saving Australia.

5th December 2023 - Global water safety community converges on Perth with a mission to end drowning

2nd December 2023 - Rip Current Survival documentary to get premiere at World Conference on Drowning Prevention

30th November 2023 - Randwick Council introduces professional lifeguarding services at two new Sydney beaches this summer

22nd November 2023 - Perth set to host World Conference on Drowning Prevention

9th November 2023 - Launching its Keep Watch water safety campaign Royal Life Saving warns of child drowning risk

6th November 2023 - Surf Lifesaver volunteers recognised at National Awards of Excellence

5th November 2023 - Royal Life Saving NSW campaign spotlights importance of water safety for seniors this summer

3rd October 2023 - National Safe Boating Week 2023 spotlights importance of lifejackets and distress beacons

24th September 2023 - Biggest funding commitment ever announced for Surf Life Saving NSW

22nd September 2023 - Australian Swim Schools Association urges caution during extreme heat

15th September 2023 - Latest National Drowning report reveals rise of deaths among older men

27th July 2023 - Royal Life Saving Society Australia named as founding member of Global Alliance for Drowning Prevention

3rd June 2023 - World Aquatics welcomes WHA resolution on drowning prevention

2nd June 2023 - World Health Assembly adopts first ever resolution on drowning prevention

12th April 2023 - Upcoming South East Queensland Water Safety Forum looks to reduce region’s drowning rate

4th March 2023 - Summer drownings figures reveal 90 deaths across Australia

24th February 2023 - New resolution for global drowning prevention championed by 60 nations

11th February 2023 - Drownings highlight need for education on rip currents

23rd January 2023 - Float to Survive message demonstrated in ocean rip at Sydney’s Manly Beach

23rd September 2022 - Float to Survive safety message to be trialled by Waverley and Randwick Councils

9th September 2022 - APOLA President Bruce Hopkins gains support for adoption of Float to Survive initiative as a national anti-drowning prevention message

22nd January 2022 - Public reminded to observe water safety warnings following spike in NSW coastal drownings

13th May 2021 - Study highlights coastal drowning risk among visitors and recent overseas arrivals in South Australia

17th December 2019 - Victoria University PhD for swimming champion Shane Gould

14th December 2017 - Surf Life Saving Australia reveals 116 coastal drowning deaths in 2016/17

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