The SLSCC Rescue Services Team are integral to the Surf Life Saving Emergency Response System, supporting beach patrols and acting as a Liaison Officer with emergency services in emergency incidents.
Here to help.
Coverage across the Central Coast
The Support Operations Team support all 15 clubs in emergency situations and respond to incidents all year from Lake Munmorah National Park in the north and Broken Bay area in the south.
Duty Officers
A Duty Officer is a senior lifesaver integral to the Surf Life Saving Emergency Response System, supporting beach patrols and acting as a Liaison Officer with emergency services when on scene in emergency incidents.
It’s not the Duty Officers responsibility to take over the incident management, but rather support the Patrol Captain in managing the beach/ incident as required.
SLSCC currently has eleven (11) Duty Officers who are rostered on weekends and public holidays throughout the season to support the fifteen (15) surf club patrols.
They are not necessarily at the beach for the whole period but must be 100% contactable and able to respond to emergencies and provide support to club patrols when needed.
The rostered Branch Duty Officer will be the first point of call in coastal emergency incidents after hours and outside of the patrol season who will then coordinate the relevant rescue resources required to save a life, including club call out teams, RWC operators, SMAR swimmers and the SLSCC UAV Rescue Service.
Click here to apply to become a Duty Officer or RWC Personnel
Rescue Water Craft (RWC)
A Rescue Water Craft (RWC) is a personal water craft commonly known by names such as wave runner or jet ski, operated by a qualified and proficient lifesaver and fitted with a surf kit including rescue sled.
Since the inception of the SLSCC RWC Service in 2004 this service has played a huge role in further strengthening the lifesaving services SLSCC provide to the Central Coast community.
Its primary purpose is to support beach patrols with additional surveillance and rescue capabilities, concentrating on patrolling the high risk locations away from standard patrol areas.
The RWC has also revolutionised the organisations after hour’s emergency response capabilities, regularly responding to major search and rescue incidents outside of season, often to save lives at remote locations such as The Lake Munmorah National Park as they are faster and more maneuverable than other rescue equipment and only require one operator.
Thanks to ongoing support from the Central Coast Leagues Club, SLSCC now has a team of over 60 qualified RWC operators formed of members from the 15 surf clubs and the service is regarded as one of the leading surf rescue services of its kind in Australia. The service now boasts a fleet of RWC’s strategically located along our coastline as follows;
Support Ski 1: located at The Lakes SLSC
Patrol area: Birdie Beach to The Entrance
Support Ski 2: Located at The Entrance Boat Shed
Patrol area: Magenta to Bateau Bay Shores
Support Ski 3: Located at Terrigal SLSC
Patrol Area: Forresters Beach to Avoca Beach
Support Ski 4: Located at Avoca SLSC
Patrol Area: Spoon Bay to MacMasters.
Support Ski 5: Located at Umina SLSC
Patrol Area: Maitland Bay to Broken Bay
Support Ski 6: Located at SLSCC Branch
Patrol Area: Carnivals and Roving
UAV
Surf Rescue
The Australian Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Service (AUAVS) is an operational unit of Surf Life Saving Services Pty Ltd (SLSS).
The AUAVS is the provider of the largest coastal UAV (drone) surveillance program in the Southern Hemisphere, and has the experience and capability to operate UAVs for a range of different public safety uses across both the NSW coastline, as well as nationally and internationally.
These include:
- Marine Search and Rescue (SAR)
- Incident Response and Support
- Wildlife Surveillance
- Event Safety and Risk Mitigation
- Beach Assessment and Mapping
- Aerial Data Collection and Analysis
Become a UAV Pilot
Do you have a passion for flying drones? Turn your passion into a career and join the Australian UAV Service (AUAVS).
Where we operate
Surf Life Saving NSW has one of the largest coastal UAV surveillance operations in Australia. We service 50 locations spread across every coast LGA in NSW, as well as mobile units.
Silver Medallion Aquatic Rescue (SMAR)
The aim of this course is to provide participants with the skills and knowledge to participate in search and rescue operations in aquatic environments.
The following nationally recognised units of competency are issued upon completion of this award:
- PUAOHS002B Maintain safety at an incident scene
- PUASAR011C Search as a member of an aquatic search team
Here are some key details about the course:
- Eligibility: Participants must be at least 16 years old, proficient in the SLSA Bronze Medallion, and hold the Certificate II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue).
- Pre-requisites: A 400-meter swim in 8 minutes or less in a pool of at least 25 meters length.
- Course Content: The course covers advanced water entry techniques, search and rescue operations, hazard identification, and communication during incidents.
- Assessment: Includes practical demonstrations, role-plays, and written assessments.
Completing this course can open up opportunities to join specialised rescue teams and enhance your lifesaving skills
