What does the IRB Crew course involve?
Rule- Australia
- Surf Life Saving Australia
- IRB Crew and Driver
- Ages 15+
- 2026/27
- Patrollers
- IRB drivers
- SLS NSW skills maintenance
From the SLSA IRB Course Review Key Changes Summary (June 2024), which applies to the national resources from 1 July 2024:
- eLearning: 10 compulsory modules, finishing with 16 multiple choice theory questions.
- Practical hours before assessment: 8 nominal hours of practical demonstration as a trainee IRB Crewperson, with at least 50% of those hours as sea time, over at least 3 separate days, in a variety of conditions.
- Assessment: practical skills are assessed through third party reports, observations and scenarios. Candidates are also assessed in safely exiting and re-entering the IRB and responding in an emergency such as a capsized IRB, and must complete a risk assessment (electronic or paper based).
- Resources: the 9th Edition IRB Training Manual, free to all members in Manula.
Added 24 Oct 2026