When he saw a vague shape in the water, Dean Stoney grabbed his binoculars. It was the end of a long day and Dean was doing one last check of the beach before going home. When he realised he was looking at a woman caught in a rip, he went into the water and hauled her out. “If I hadn’t got her, she would have drowned for sure,” he said.
It’s a typical situation that the members of Sydney’s lifesaver clubs see every weekend in summer. They’re the people who give up their spare time to make sure that everyone who makes use of Sydney’s most spectacular and popular beaches remain safe.
Surf lifesaving originated in Australia just over 100 years ago. From around 1906, volunteers trained in resuscitation and rescue have patrolled Sydney’s beaches. Since then, surf lifesaving has spread across the world, to New Zealand, Ireland, the USA and South Africa. Today, there are 305 Australian surf lifesaving clubs that keep an eye on 400 beaches, supplementing the much smaller number of professional lifeguards who patrol during the week or at other times. In Sydney alone, around 30,000 people volunteer their spare time, to make sure that the people enjoying the city’s spectacular beaches can do so in safety.
“It’s definitely not a male organisation any more, as 40% of our members are female,” says Dean, who is Manager of Lifesaving, Surf Lifesaving NSW. “The beauty of surf lifesaving is it provides opportunities for all age groups, from 5 to 6 year olds, who join Nippers.”
But that person heroically pulling a frightened and endangered tourist out of a rip can be someone as young as 15, or someone close to retirement age. What they all have in common is how well trained they are. “It’s like any emergency service, where there are different tiers and levels,” says Dean. He outlines what’s involved in training to be a lifesaver: fitness, core ocean skills, an understanding of the dynamics of the coast line, CPR, resuscitation and first aid, as well as the ability to operate in a rip or around rocks. “The core skills can bring someone back from drowning or from bleeding to death. To get to the point that someone is on the front line of life saving, they’ve put in hundreds and hundreds of hours of training.”
So what motivates a 15 year old to do this kind of training, especially as they then have to give up one precious day a month?
“It can appeal to everyone,” says Dean. “Obviously an enjoyment of the surf and the coastline helps. Surfers make very good lifesavers because they’re so involved in the water. But being a surf lifesaver isn’t something you can walk in the door and achieve – it takes too much hard work. By their very nature, surf lifesavers are punctual and committed.”
Dean says that the vast majority of what the lifesavers do is preventative work, including identifying hazardous areas and marking them off, and then patrolling the beach. This is why so many Sydney beaches feature red and yellow flags; these flags represent the boundaries of safety. “A good example of prevention is spotting someone about to go into a rip current and would go and direct them back to the flagged area.” But sometimes people do get into real trouble and this is when the rescue tube comes out. “A rescue tube is the bread and butter of surf lifesavers,” says Dean. “It’s a long rectangle with a clip on one end and a lanyard on the other.” This is wrapped around the person in trouble, to pull them back to safety.
For mass or difficult rescues, the surf lifesavers also have rescue boats, jet skis and even helicopters. But Dean says none of it should be necessary.
“What’s drowning people on our coast line – last year we had 46 drownings on NSW beaches – is rip currents and fishermen being washed off rocks. The people drowning in rips are swimming at beaches that aren’t patrolled or not swimming between the flags, while the fishermen are not wearing life jackets. It’s not complicated. If people did simple things we wouldn’t have drownings.”
So if you do go swimming at one of Sydney’s beaches this summer, bear some simple precautions in mind: first of all, swim between the flags. If you get caught in a rip, don’t panic and don’t try and swim against it. Raise your hand and swim to the side. Either you will be able to get out of the rip, or someone will come and get you.
And if you do need assistance, don’t be embarrassed about it. Helping people out is why so many people train so hard to be surf lifesavers. “It’s an organisation with a lot of pride and camaraderie and team work on patrol,” says Dean. “We’re all ages, from nippers through to the old boys, so it’s very family oriented, positive and healthy.”
And that fact that they’re so dedicated is why there are so many people who can enjoy Sydney’s beaches, without fear of being swept away in a rip.