Congratulations to Surfing NSW on the implementationof the Surfers Rescue 24/7 Course and many thanks to

the NSW Government in supporting this initiative.- KELLY SLATER

11x ASP World Surfing Champion

INTRO//

Surfing has been part of the Australian society since the late 50’s and during this time, recreational surfers from all walks of life have been instrumental in helping to keep our beaches safe. These aforementioned boardriders have conducted and assisted in thousands of rescues, the majority of which go unheralded. Be it a patrolled or unpatrolled beach across NSW; surfers are on hand 365 days a year – dawn until dusk. Surfing NSW with support of the NSW Government are giving all surfers in NSW the opportunity to do a free CPR and Board Rescue Course – Surfers Rescue 24/7.

This will give you a skill set, that hopefully you will never have to use, but if you find yourself in a tough situation, may just save a life.

Yours in surfing,

Mark WindonChief Executive Officer, Surfing NSW

Congratulations to Surfing NSW on the implementation of the Surfers Rescue 24/7 Course and many thanks to the NSW Government in supporting this initiative.

Recognising the enormous contribution that recreational surfers make to water safety on a daily basis in NSW is a great message to send to our group and it’s importance in protecting the larger community. I’m really glad to hear this.

Kelly Slater11x ASP World Surfing Champion

Thanks to Surfing NSW and the Surfers Rescue 24/7 program, we had a great morning and learned some very

valuable techniques that could potentially save lives.

Hurley believe in this great program and I personally feel it is a great course that all surfers should do. Surfers have the potential of supporting their communities and it makes

the water a safer place.

Jason HaynesGeneral Manager, Hurley Australia

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Surfers Rescue 24/7 is a CPR and Board Rescue course. Surfers are on the beach from dawn until dusk, 365 days a year. A lot of them are responsible for hundreds of thousands of unsung rescues. In conjunction with pro-surfers who are currently working as lifeguards, Surfing NSW have identified board rescue techniques that may prove to be crucial in times of need.

SURFERS RESCUE 24/7?

PARTNERS//

WHAT IS

>COUNCIL PARTNERS

>STRATEGIC PARTNERS

K i a m a

C O U N C I L

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ALWAYS//

• Ensure your own safety and assess conditions.• Initially keep the board between patient and yourself. (see image) • Approach patient, stabilise patient and reassure their safety.• Talk to the patient and explain your rescue plan.

• Signal for assistance. (see image)•Make sure an unconscious patient’s face must be

kept out of the water at all times.•Select and perform the most appropriate rescue technique for the situation.

TIPS//• Keep a legrope on the patient at all times.

• Treat any unconscious patient as a potential spinal or head injury.• An unconscious patients face must be kept out of the water at all times.

• Don’t panic and stay calm at all times.

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CONSCIOUSTECHNIQUES//

• Always keep your board between you and the patient initially. Panicking patients will drown you to save themselves. • Talk to the patient and explain your rescue technique.• Ask the patient to lay on the board with their head towards the nose of the board - you may need to assist.• Now you can slide up on top of them and both attempt to paddle. • If the patient has enough strength to help, ask them to assist in paddling to shore.

>PADDLESUITABLE FOR PATIENTS WHO CAN HELP PADDLE TO SHORE

>SIDEWAYS PADDLESUITABLE IF PATIENT AND RESCUER ARE UNABLE TO FLOAT ON SURFBOARD

>LEG HOOKSUITABLE FOR A PATIENT WHO IS UNABLE TO ASSIST IN PADDLING

• If the board will not float both of you, it may be easier for you to give the board to the patient. Rescuer can then push the patient. • Reassure patient again by stabilising.• Rescuer can move onto the same side of the board. By facing the same direction and using the board like a kicking board, both the patient and the rescuer can make their way to shore.

• You may have to remove your legrope. If so reattach to the patients leg. • Instruct the patient to continue to kick. • Signal for assistance.

• Reassure patient once again.• Ask patient to lay on back on water with rescuer supporting. • Rescuer to pull board underneath themselves. • Rescuer to hook legs through patients under arms. You need to have your bent knees under their arms, not just your ankles.• Rescuer to lock legs. • Initially paddle the patient away from danger zone. • Signal for assistance. • Paddle to shore with patient locked between legs.• Remain mindful of the positioning of the patient.

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UNCONSCIOUSTECHNIQUES//

>ROLLIDEAL FOR GETTING AN UNCONSCIOUS PATIENTS HEAD ABOVE

WATER AND ONTO STABLE FLOTATION

• The unconscious patient will be heavy, slippery, unbalanced and extremely difficult to manage in still water, let alone a surf zone.

• Place hand up on the front rail of a fins-up board.

• Secure hand.

• Roll board towards rescuer, dragging patient onto deck of the board.

• Secure patient.

• Lay on top of patient towards the tail of the board.

• Slide up the patient and attempt to paddle.

• Signal for assistance.

• As quickly as possible access the patient and roll them onto their back.

• Slide board underneath you so that the patient lies head first up on your back.

• Hook your legs up under their armpits.

• Rescuer needs to have bent knees under the patients arms.

• Climb back onto their board (or rescuers).

• Initially paddle the patient away from danger zone.

• Paddle towards the shore.

>LEG HOOKSUITABLE FOR A PATIENTS WHO ARE UNABLE TO ASSIST IN PADDLING

Surfers are in the ocean dawn till dusk, 365 days a year“

”

Surfers Rescue 24/7is a NSW Governmentinitiative driven bySurfing NSW“ ”

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MATT BANTING’STALE//

CONTACT SURFERS RESCUE 24/7

“I was surfing in summer 2012 at Lighthouse Beach, Port Macquarie NSW, when I saw a guy who had hit his head on a sandbank. The guy was struggling to breath, but he managed to get one breath of air and let out a giant “help”. I had only just caught my last wave and turned around to see him.

I tossed my board and swam over to him while my Dad ran from the beach fully clothed and a bodyboarder also came over to help. I was only in waist deep water and he could barely stand up because he was totally paralysed. I untied his leash and let his mal go, grabbed him under his arms and around the back so he could breath. Fortunately it wasn’t too far out and we managed to get his head above water and get him some oxygen.

Once the waves got smaller, it got a bit easier. We knew anything too erratic could make things worse. Dad got his legs and I got his waist and a lifeguard ran down and got his neck. It was scary. If the bodyboarder or I didn’t get there for another minute he could have been gone.

Because he was paralysed, he couldn’t get any movement to get above water. I learnt a lot off the lifeguard who came with me. It’s good to know the basics in case anything like this ever happens again. You don’t know when it’s going to happen…”

TO REPORT YOUR RESCUE ORFIND A COURSE LOCATIONCONTACT SURFING NSW//

COURSE CONTACTS//www.surfingnsw.com.auinfo@surfingnsw.com.au(02) 9349 7055

IN AN EMERGENCYalways call

000

AirwayOpen Airway and ensure it is clear.

ResponseCheck for Response by talk and touch.

DangerCheck for Danger

CPR (30:2)*

Start CPR*

Give 30 Chest Compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths.

*For drowning

Compressions should be at a rate of 100-120 per minute in the centre of the chest and

For Infants

BreathingCheck Breathing.

SendIf unresponsive, Send for help by calling Triple Zero (000).

• A health care professional arrives and takes over CPR• A health care professional directs that CPR be ceased

prompts.

CPRCHART//

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