While riding on the bus one afternoon, I saw a transit ad that captured my attention.
Having seen these lifeguards in their vivid red and yellow swimwear at various beaches, I was curious about them and the story behind the ad.
 |
| Transit Ad |
An opportunity presented itself on a stretch of Long Reef Beach when I met up with a group packing away their equipment.
I quickly made my way over for a chat.
 |
| Lifesaver Patrol Leader |
They were happy to tell me that they were with one of fifteen volunteer surf lifesaving clubs managed by Surf Life-Saving Sydney (SLSS), a nonprofit, volunteer emergency service association committed to reducing coastal drownings on Sydney's beaches.
Nice!
 |
| Clovelly Beach |
The first step to becoming a volunteer is joining a surf club and paying annual membership fees, which cover the cost of uniforms and insurance.
Dues, government grants, corporate sponsors, donations, and fundraisers, help to fund the organization.
Under the tutelage of SLSS trainers, assessors, and facilitators, members learn personal survival, emergency care, and aquatic rescue skills along with how to use life-saving equipment for singular and mass rescues.
Definitely worth the dues!
 |
| SLSS Facebook Picture |
At age thirteen or older, those who have completed the surf rescue certificate and earned a bronze medallion can become lifesavers.
The Bronze medallion is the benchmark to attest that volunteers can perform aquatic rescues safely and efficiently,
Volunteers patrol the beaches in groups under the supervision of a patrol captain on weekends and holidays.
They work in addition to Sydney's paid lifeguards - who watch busier beaches every day throughout the season, which runs from October to March.
Rightly so, most folks associate Australia with amazing beaches, and with over 10,000 of them countrywide, 100 in Sydney, two groups of eyes (lifeguards and lifesavers) are better than one.
 |
| Clovelly Beach |
In typical Aussie fashion, lifesaver volunteers are colloquially called Clubbies.
Their bright beach patrol uniforms are deliberate. Yellow is associated with caution, and red is the typical color of lifeguard swimwear.
The two colors together make them and their life-saving equipment easy to spot.
 |
| Long Reef Beach Lifesavers |
I salute them for their commitment of time, talent, and money for such a worthy cause!
At the start of their day, they check the ocean for underwater obstacles, wave patterns, water depths, and rip currents (rips) before placing flags in areas deemed safe.
Afterward, they closely watch swimmers in the spaces between the flags.
Always Swim Between the Red and Yellow Flags is the mantra for surf lifesaving clubs across Australia.
 |
| Lifesaver on patrol |
Swimmers who do not heed the warning can find themselves in troubled waters.
Most people can spot a Bluebottle, Jellyfish, or stingy sea urchin lying on the beach and along the shoreline, but underwater obstacles are harder to see, and rip currents (rips) can quickly go undetected to the untrained eye.
 |
 |
| Bluebottle with tentacle |
 |
| Stingy sea urchin |
According to a web article from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, "on average, more people die in rips in Australia each year than from bush fires, floods, cyclones, and sharks combined."
Weaker swimmers, such as myself, and those using floating devices and bodyboards, can become caught in a rip and pulled out to open water, which puts them at risk of drowning.
Years ago, a rip almost carried away my sister, Terry, and me. It took all of our strength to remain calm so we could get to safety. Terrifying!
Aside from the serious business of saving lives, surf-lifesaving is also a sport!
Clubbies participate in a range of competitive beach rescue events, called carnivals, to maintain their skills and fitness. They also have individual and team races, some open to the public.
To compete, they must meet the club's minimum patrol requirements (service hours) for their membership status.
In Sydney, they have been doing this for a long time and have a longstanding culture of coastal lifesaving.
The first club in Sydney can be traced back to 1906 in the suburb of Bronte, in response to drownings. How awesome is that?
Surf Life Savers accept kids as young as five into their junior program called Nippers. These are children who receive the same education and training as Clubbies.
The Nipper program provides a great social opportunity to meet new friends, hang out at the beach, enjoy competitions and learn CPR, all while having fun learning about critical life-saving skills and coastal water safety.
Nippers who become Clubbies, once they are thirteen, are essential to the future of Sydney's lifesaving associations.
I was thrilled when my daughter told me that my grandson, Jethro, was a first-year Nipper.
I fell out laughing when I saw him in his adorable but quirky uniform, but if he's coming to save my life, I could care less about what he's wearing.
