Surf Life Saving’s Centre of Excellence
Advancing the Flood and Swift Water Rescue capabilities of volunteer surf lifesavers across the country.
The impact of Surf Life Saving and the training of our volunteer surf lifesavers extends away from the beach and out into the community. At times of emergency, like flood, fire and other natural disasters, volunteer surf lifesavers play an important role in assisting with rescue and recovery operations alongside other emergency services.
In August 2023, Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) and Surf Life Saving Tasmania (SLST) announced the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence in Tasmania to further advance the Flood and Swift Water Rescue capabilities of volunteer surf lifesavers right across the country.
Background
The catalyst to this was a fire emergency in Tasmania in 2016. Whilst a massive rain event helped put out the fires, the consequence was mass flooding across the State. This led to identifying a shortfall in the State’s ability to respond to flood water emergencies – and what followed was the conception of a vital training facility for flood and swift water rescue, Surf Life Saving Tasmania’s Centre of Excellence.
The Centre of Excellence is an invaluable resource, proudly training emergency service personnel, including volunteer surf lifesavers from Tasmania and around Australia, in critical flood and swift water rescue techniques. A significant investment into international best practice training, resources, and research, means the Centre of Excellence has been recognised by emergency services, governments and even internationally as an example of best practice.
The Centre’s ability to deliver courses related to flood and swift water rescue not only upskills volunteer surf lifesavers but has a real-life impact when Surf Life Saving is called upon to assist with an emergency response. This desperately needed skillset is critical to assisting communities around the country in times of emergency.
How Your Support Helps
The Centre of Excellence plays a critical role in training volunteer surf lifesavers to be ready to act in times of flood and swift water rescue, providing an enormously valuable resource to communities across Australia. This would not be possible without your help.
The Centre of Excellence is currently funded from Surf Life Saving Foundation fundraising, with $150,000 per year committed over five years. The remainder of the funding has come from donations and grants.
Donations have been critical in the establishment of the Centre of Excellence, funding over 60% of the Centre to date.
Your donation is invaluable in making a significant difference in key areas. This includes funds to provide the additional training to skill volunteer surf lifesavers to be able to respond to flood events, keeping the same communities and States safe both on and off the beach.
How are donor contributions used specifically?
Training – the costs for training volunteer surf lifesavers for flood and swift water teams is approximately $1,000 per person for Flood Boat operator and another $2,500 for Swift Water Boat Operator. This does not include transport to Tasmania and other training locations, meals and accommodation..
Equipment:
- PPE – approximately $2,000 per kit which includes a drysuit/flood protection suit, lifejacket, helmet, boots, gloves, throw bag, head torch.
- Rescue equipment – approximately $10,000 for core rescue equipment including technical rescue kits, wading poles, ropes, rescue rafts, modifying SLS IRB’s, aquatic stretchers, trailers.
Research – gap research for safe use of rescue vessels in flood waters and water speed.