DO you know the difference between the Professional Lifeguard and Volunteer Lifesaver????
The Gold Coast Beaches are patrolled by Professional Lifeguard and Volunteer Lifesavers
OUR PROFESSIONAL LIFEGUARD SERVICE
The Gold Coast City Lifeguard Service is Professionals and adheres to a vigorous fitness test twice a year. They are trained to deal with all emergencies on the Beach. The Lifeguard Vehicle carries all emergency equipment from a basic bandage to Oxygen Equipment and Difibrillator to deal with resuscitation.
They are a 1st aid room on wheels. Lifeguards have an Professional exchange program with International Lifeguards Services.
You can recognise our Profesional Lifeguard by their White and Blue Uniforms. Did you know that the professional lifeguard service looks after our beaches 7 days a week at 18 Gold Coast Beaches.
Are you interested in becoming a Profesional Lifeguard you can register to do your Apola ( Australian Profesional Ocean Lifeguard Association) Award
Contact:
Mobile 0432908977 mail: Coach@Surfcoach.net.au
PROFESSIONAL LIFEGUARDS WEAR BLUE & WHITE UNIFORMS
VOLUNTEER SURF LIFE SAVERS WEAR A YELLOW & RED UNIFORM
Volunteers are a group of people like you the general public who like to give back to the community, by the way of patrolling our beaches.
Most of the time they start at Nippers as a parent and soon they are loving the lifestyle. Before you know it they are training and getting fit to obtain a Bronze Medallion and Awards.Often they grow with their kids. Nippers grow into a junior Lifesavers and Competitor.
Surf Life Saving is a lot of fun were you meet many people and you are trained to save a life. Our lifesaver look after our beaches on weekends and School Holidays along side of the professional Lifeguards
For further information on becoming a volunteer contact you local Lifesaving Club
RIPS-CURRENTS WHAT ARE THEY?
A rip current is a strong body of water running out to sea. They are formed by a build up of water washing onto the beach, which needs to find it’s way back out to Sea. The force of the water forms a channel called a Rip.
Rip currents are a major cause of swimmers getting into difficulties.
COMMON SIGNS OF A RIP ARE:
- Discoloured brown water due to sand that has been stirred up off the bottom of the Sea and of the Beach.
- Foam on the surface extending through and beyond the break.
- Waves breaking further out on both sides of the Rip.
- A rippled appearance where the surrounding water is generally calm.
TYPES OF RIP CURRENTS:
Permanent:- A permanent rip will remain in the same area for months or even years due to little change in the sea bottom and prevailing conditions. Permanent fixtures, such as drainage pipes and piers, can also cause rips.
Fixed:- A fixed rip can last from hours to months. It is accompanied by a hole or gully in the sand on the sea floor.
Flash:- A flash rip will appear suddenly and usually without warning. It is caused by a large build up of water in a short period of time. The outward pull is usually short lived.
Travelling:- A travelling rip moves along a beach propelled by a strong current from the shore.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT
- Remain calm and tread water go with the rip out from the beach – do not try to swim against the rip.
- Raise one hand straight up in the air to signal for assistance.
- REMAIN CALM AND WAIT FOR A LIFEGUARD OR LIFESAVER.
- If you are a strong swimmer — Swim parallel to the shore for 30-40 meters taking a minimum of 20 swim strokes before resting, repeat. This is needed to be able to swim out of a rip and then swim to the shore lying flat on the surface, using breaking waves and white water to push you in.
