Guidelines for Patrol
North Wollongong SLSC patrols every Sunday and all public holidays during this period. Every Bronze Medallion holder of the club is required to complete a minimum 25 patrol hours a season and must ensure they attend all of their rostered patrols. Patrols are conducted under the direction of the Patrol Captain and patrol duties include observing swimmers; radio operations; providing minor first aid; and performing rescues.
Uniforms
Patrols members must wear their red and yellow patrol uniforms when patrolling the beach. In the water you MUST wear your patrol cap (on your head) this way the public can identify you and also your patrol captain can see where you are.
Patrol Roster
You are responsible for checking the 2011-2012 Patrol Roster and ensuring you can attend all your patrols. If you know in advance that will not be able to make a patrol, you should organize a swap as early as possible and let your patrol captain know when and who will be filling in for you. This is particularly important if you are planning on competing. If there is not an adequate patrol on a competition day the whole Club will be disqualified from that competition.
Saturday Patrols
All Saturday patrols are rostered as normal. Patrol members must arrive in full patrol uniform, carry a radio and provide assistance to the lifeguards where necessary. The lifeguards are primarily responsible for the beach so all that is required is to sign on and off with Surfcom as per normal and sign the patrol log book.
Competition
You must have a total of 25 patrolling hours minimum accrued from the last 6 months of the previous season and the first 6 months of the current season, in order to compete if you are an active member. For example, if at the end of last season you only did 8 hours in the period from Jan to April, then you have until 31st of December of the current season to complete another 17 hours to make a total of 25 hours.
Active Reserve members must have a minimum of 12 hours to compete.
Radio
Sign on and off is through Surfcom on channel 3. Emergency services such as an ambulance or helicopter should be contacted through Surfcom. The Captain or Vice Captain are the only two that call emergency services unless they give authorization to another patrol member. If an ambulance is called please make sure you have a uniformed patrol member at the front of the Surf Club to guide them to the injured person.
Council Lifeguards
Do not be afraid to call the Lifeguard if there is an annoying dog on the beach or boardriders are disobeying your instructions and continue to surf between the flags. Council lifeguards can be contacted through Surfcom.
Council Lifeguards should be called to assist a patrol with low numbers AS A LAST RESORT. All other avenues of gathering the correct number of bronze holders must be exhausted first. If Council Lifeguards are called to assist with patrol numbers it reflects poorly on the Club.
Defaults
Clubs reported for three (3) minor defaults and one (1) major default within the season are called before the Branch judiciary.
Minor defaults:
- Less than the required patrol strength
- Less than the required patrol gear (including IRB)
- No IRB driver present on patrol
- Failure of patrol members to sign log book at BEGINNING of patrol
- Failure to sign on and off with Surfcom
- Signing on late on AM patrol and signing off early on the PM patrol with Surfcom
Major defaults:
- No patrol present
- Failure to have the beach area under constant supervision
If you have any questions, queries, problems, suggestions or your contact details are incorrect on the patrol roster please do not hesitate to contact the Club Captain.