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Be A Lifesaver

Would you like to be a lifesaver?

Are you the type of person who has always felt the need to help others? Are you an outdoorsy person who enjoys spending time on the beach or at the pool? Are you fit, energetic and sporty? Do you have good reflexes and a keen intuition? If you have answered yes to many of these questions, then you already show a natural inclination to be a great Lifeguard/Lifesaver. Yes, you just might have the makings of being a Guardian of the Beach, Rescuer to many and Big Brother to all. You can be a Lifesaver if you really want to and help rescue those in need. A Lifesaving qualification is open to everyone, irrespective of age, gender, ethnic/cultural background and you don’t need to be a champion swimmer to be one, all you have to know is how to swim.

The Lifeguard

The professional Lifeguard is a highly trained, fit athlete, responsible for defining a safe bathing area, rescuing people in distress and applying first aid, if necessary. He or she is on duty during all weather conditions, and may be required to do foot patrols along beaches, be part of a motorized patrol or rescue boat crew, or be involved in helicopter rescues. Other responsibilities may include maintaining discipline on the beaches and enforcing bye-laws in their respective areas.

What do I need to be a Lifeguard?

You will need: good powers of concentration; to be a good swimmer; to enjoy the outdoor life; communications skills; good eyesight; the ability to remain calm under pressure. Public relations skills are also an essential attribute.

What are the Entry Requirements and Training?

Specific academic requirements are not essential, though some employers may prefer them. Most employers insist on the Basic Lifesaving Awards for pools or the beaches. Lifesaving South Africa encourages all employers of professional lifeguards to insist on at least one of the necessary qualifications mentioned above. The examination is set down by Lifesaving South Africa to qualify beach lifeguards as well as pool lifeguards.

Professional lifeguards are constantly in training, prior to and often after their duty periods. Certain tests have to be taken regularly to ensure their fitness and capabilities.

What are the Employment Prospects?

Employment opportunities exist with local councils of towns with public beaches and community swimming pools. There are also a few private lifesaving organizations that offer employment on a temporary and permanent basis. International job opportunities exist.

What are the Lifesaving Qualifications?

A lifesaving qualification is referred to as a ‘Lifeguard Award’. There are many lifeguard awards that qualify you as a Lifeguard and they start at a Junior level and progress up to a Senior level.

Are there any Exams involved?

A Junior (14 and 15 years) Lifeguard must be able to swim 400m in a pool in less than 9 minutes to pass the entrance test.

However, to do the Senior Lifeguard Exam one has to attain 16 years or older and be able to swim 400m in less than 8 minutes. The candidate is then trained to become a fully qualified lifeguard and requires a far more extensive knowledge and physical ability in order to pass the exam.

The job requires a good knowledge of first aid, CPR and all lifesaving problems encountered on a beach, dam or pool. Due to the physical nature of the job the candidate must demonstrate a superior aquatic ability, being able to perform rescues using various items of equipment, as well as doing actual contact rescues.

Training for the exam varies with different candidates’ abilities, but can be achieved more promptly if the candidates are available throughout the week, instead of only attending classes on a part-time basis in the evenings.

The Lifesaving Qualifications/ Lifeguard Awards

Junior Lifeguard Award - POOL/SURF/OPENWATER

Lifeguard Award - POOL/SURF/OPENWATER

Qualifying Certificate (QC)

Junior Qualifying Certificate (JQC)

Other Awards Offered:

Advanced Lifeguard Award

Instructor’s Award IRB Crewman’s Award – Surf/Openwater

Examiner’s Award IRB Driver’s Award – Surf/Openwater

Judge’s Award IRB Instructor’s Award – Surf/Openwater

Nipper Examiner’s Award IRB Examiner’s Award – Surf/Openwater

Radio Operator’s Award

Helicopter Rescue Crewman’s Award

Advanced Helicopter Rescue Crewman’s Award

Helicopter Examiner’s Award

Want to know more?

Contact Lifesaving South Africa

Address: Surf House, 35 Livingstone Road, Durban, 4001

Tel.: 031-3129251 Fax: 031-3125612

More About Lifesaving SA

Incident Protocol

Major Incident Reporting Protocol

In the event of an incident occurring at a venue officially patrolled by a Lifesaving South Africa voluntary duty member or duty squad or in a remote vicinity but attended to by members of the club/ duty squad while on duty the following reporting / investigative procedure must be adhered to.

Examples of reportable incidents are as follows but are not limited to

Confirmed death by drowning or unknown causes or a near drowning of a member of the bathing public within the lifeguard patrolled area.

Suspected drowning / disappearance of a member of the bathing public within patrolled area.

Retrieval of bodies from the water.

Injury to a member of the bathing public within patrolled area caused by the actions of a voluntary duty lifeguard in which case claims of medical and/or legal liability may be tested.

Injury to a voluntary duty lifeguard caused during or subsequent to the execution of his or her lifesaving duty either by accident, force of nature or violent act in which case claims of medical and/or legal liability may be tested.

Any resuscitation carried out by the club or its members, wherever it may occur, resulting from a call out made to the club

Resuscitation

In Lifesaving South Africa we begin to teach the aspects of the safe use of the sea to our Nipper members from 8 years of age. On reaching the age of 14, these young people move into the Junior ranks of the Association where amongst the topics studied for their Junior Lifeguard Award, they take the first steps of learning about Lifesaving and Resuscitation. They learn how to recognise symptoms of bather distress, how to safely secure the patient to rapidly remove them from the water to dry land, and how to check for vital signs and where necessary perform basic CPR. This basic knowledge is added to when the Junior Lifeguard goes on to take the full Lifeguard award from the age of 16. Other awards are available both within and outside the movement to further add to this basic knowledge.

Helicopter Rescue

In March 2005 the Nokia helicopter sponsorship contract ended. Nokia Finland had taken over the marketing and distribution of their phones and had different ideas to the local distributor with regards to marketing. Nokia Finland chose to focus on music and fashion.

We approached a number of corporate to take over the sponsorship and had much interest but only Netcare911 gave serious commitment, although their budget alone was not sufficient. Together, the CEO of the NSRI, Ian Weinberg, and Dr Ryan Noach, CEO of Netcare911, managed to convince Vodacom to make up the deficit and thus the Vodacom Netcare911 Surf Rescue service, a three year sponsorship, was born. However the contract is between Vodacom, Netcare911 and the NSRI.

The VNSR service took to the skies in Dec 2005. The helicopter is dispatched through the Netcare 911 flight desk, activated by the public through the 082911 telephone number. The Netcare911 control room provides state of the art technology with satellite tracking of all helicopters and ambulances as well as the ability to locate the GPS coordinates of callers to speed up rescue crew’s response. In addition, Netcare911 has negotiated much faster and more powerful B2 Squirrel helicopters for Durban and Cape Town over the December period from Helimax. This has raised the Surf Rescue service to a higher level of efficiency.

In Cape Town, George, PE, and Margate, the crew consists of a LSA rescue swimmer, an NSRI crewman, and a Netcare911 medic. In Durban LSA assists the NSRI in staffing the crewman position as the NSRI have fewer crew in KZN. Each region is managed by a regional co-ordinating committee made up of a representative from each organization. These RCC’s then report to a NCC with the same representation. This transition was easiest in Cape Town as the crew there have an established working relationship with experienced NSRI helicopter crew. In all other regions the transition has been difficult but successful. LSA has assisted the NSRI in KZN to train their crew in helicopter operations with the NSRI providing monthly training for LSA and Netcare staff in swift water and sea rescue techniques. A consequence of the transition is that the LSA heli crew stalwarts in Durban have retired. However there is still plenty interest from new crew members.

One of the problem areas at present is that the NSRI and LSA have different helicopter operations manuals with different crew requirements. An NCC sub committee has been tasked to sit in August 2006 to produce a combined manual with one set of standards. Thereafter the subcommittee will roll out the new manual in November 2006 in each region ensuring that crew are trained to the same standards in all regions prior to the summer season.

Contacts:
For any queries in your area, please contact your local representative.
They are as follows:
Durban - James Ross - 082 465 8280
Margate  - Steve Shomela   - 076 619 2324
PE         - Mark Ackerman   - 082 809 0772
George - Richard Botha     - 083 585 3339
Cape Town    - Johan Van Zyl - 083 556 2663


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