The Surf Life Saver award is primarily for volunteer lifeguards. The swim time required is less onerous than for the SLSGB Lifeguard or SLSGB NVBLQ awards.
– It meets the pre-requisite for becoming a volunteer Surf Life Saving GB lifeguard
– The syllabus encompasses the National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ)
– Course units can be trained and completed in a single block, or over time.
Who is this award for?
Individuals aged 14 or over wishing to become volunteer lifeguards within SLSGB
What is covered during the award?
The Surf Life Saver award is aimed to equip lifeguards to prevent incidents and when called to do so provide timely and effective rescue and emergency care.
At its core is a focus on:
• An excellent understanding of your beach and coastal environment, how the elements interact with it to create hazards and how these can form risk to life or injury to beach users
• A full understanding and use of the Risk Assessment Process
• Understand the Process of Drowning and impact on rescue decisions
• Observation and Surveillance skills
• Good Public Engagement and Communication skills
• The ability to Advise beach users regarding hazards and danger
• Knowing how and when to Influence beach users to stay safe
• Appropriate and timely Intervention on the beach and in the water
• Competent Rescue skills when called to do so
• Effective first aid and emergency care
How is the assessment completed?
You will be tested on the theory and practical application of beach lifeguarding and will need to answer questions and complete practical assessments on the following topics:
– Lifeguard Role and Responsibilities
– Understanding and managing the beach environment
– Drowning prevention
– Surveillance
– Communication and signals
– Risk management
– Rescue skills
– First aid – basic and intermediate life support
Is prior experience required for this award?
To complete the Surf Life Saver course you will need to:
– Be 14 years old before the date of your first test
– Be confident in a coastal and waterside environment
– Complete at least 40 hours of theory and practical training before your test
– Cover all the theory and complete all the other exercises in the syllabus
– Pass an independent assessment
– Swim 400 metres in 9 minutes 30 seconds or less, and dive to a depth of two metres-
