Patrol Captain's Guide to Surf Life Saving NSW Patrol Operations 2026/27

At the beginning of every patrol the Patrol Captain shall:

1. Carry out a risk assessment using the Risk Rating component of the SLSA Operations App.
2. Hold a briefing with the whole patrol team, noted in the Operations App notes. It covers at a minimum conditions, tides, hazards, task allocations, rostering, breaks and expectations. It should include all lifesaving personnel, invite input and questions, and be held every time regardless of predicted activity.
3. Sign on with the Patrol Operations App and stand by for a radio check with SurfCom (the app is the primary method, radio the backup).
4. Check previous log entries and talk to the previous Patrol Captain about equipment issues or hazards.
5. Make sure all lifesaving equipment is checked and prepared.
6. Select the safest area for the flagged patrol area and place equipment where it is readily available for emergencies.
7. Make sure Council ordinance signage and mobile hazard and information signage are erected where required.
8. Carry a handheld radio at all times and monitor SurfCom, delegate roles and rotations, and allocate responsibilities in case of emergency or rescue.

Roles should be rotated under the Patrol Captain's direction, for example every 20 minutes. Surveillance personnel must not use personal phones or devices that distract them. Debrief the team at the end of every patrol.

Before the shift, check that enough members are rostered and that compulsory awards are covered; doing this at least three days before the shift is recommended so members can arrange swaps.

Source: SLSNSW Public Safety SOPs (September 2026), PSS 7.1 to 7.3.

The Patrol Captain is responsible for making sure all emergency equipment is in place and in working order. All patrolling equipment is checked on each deployment, with specific attention to the condition and operability of power craft, rescue equipment, and first aid and resuscitation equipment:

• Oxygen resuscitation kits: system test and miscellaneous equipment check; check the oxygen cylinder is over half full; it is strongly recommended that at least 1 full backup cylinder is available.
• Defibrillators: system test and miscellaneous equipment check.
• First aid kits: condition and contents check.
• Power craft: IRB, SSV and 4WD vehicle checks.
• Rescue equipment: rescue board checks, and rescue tube and fins checks.
• Radios: fully charged and operational, set to the correct channels, with two radios on Channel 2 (patrol) and two on Channel 3 (SurfCom).

Damaged or missing equipment is reported in the log, tagged and communicated as soon as possible to the Club Captain or Lifeguard Supervisor. The Patrol Captain also ensures the patrol team checks and prepares all lifesaving equipment before duty.

Source: SLSNSW Public Safety SOPs (September 2026), PSS 7.1 and PSS 7.2.

Crew: a full patrol is 3 or more financial and proficient surf lifesavers who between them hold:

• 3 x Bronze Medallion (PSAR Cert II) qualified members
• Silver Medallion Beach Management or Silver Medallion Patrol Captain
• 1 x Silver Medallion IRB Driver
• 1 x IRB Crew (a different person from the IRB Driver)
• 1 x Advanced Resuscitation Techniques
• Side by Side Vehicle Operation, if applicable to the club

These awards may be held collectively by the Bronze Medallion holders, as long as the same person does not hold both the IRB Driver and IRB Crew positions. Where required, the Patrol Captain may hold any or all of the awards.

When a full patrol must operate:

• during an NSW school holiday period, unless the Branch Director of Lifesaving and State Director of Lifesaving approve an exemption
• on NSW gazetted public holidays during the term of the Lifesaving Service Agreement
• when a planned major community event will attract large crowds to that location or stretch of coastline (an event that significantly increases the likelihood of an injury or drowning there)
• unless the inclement weather provisions apply (see the Surveillance/Inclement Weather Patrol)

Source: SLSNSW Public Safety SOPs (September 2026), PSS 3.3.

Equipment must be complete, functional, available for immediate use (rescue ready) and in position at the scheduled patrol start time, and must stay rescue ready for the whole operational period.

Primary patrolling equipment

• Pair of red and yellow feathered patrol flags; pair of black and white quartered flags (surf craft prohibited signage attached)
• IRB with 25HP outboard motor, fuel bladder and accessories; 2 x Level 50 SLSA-approved lifejackets (PFD)
• 4 x handheld radios in waterproof bags (1 on Channel 3 to monitor SurfCom, held by the Patrol Captain and/or Vice-Captain; the other 3 on Channel 2, Patrol)
• SSV or alternative vehicle (where applicable); patrol shelter or tent with anchors; binoculars
• 2 x rescue boards, 3 x rescue tubes, 2 x pairs of swim fins
• AED, oxygen resuscitator kit, first aid kit (with sharps container), spinal board, 2 x first aid bum bags
• Loud hailer/PA, emergency evacuation alarm, 2 x signal flags (orange with blue stripe), 1 x emergency evacuation flag (red and white quartered)
• Sunscreen (minimum SPF 30+); a whistle per patroller is recommended

Signage: 2 x "Rescue Craft Access Area", 2 x "Swimming Not Advised", 2 x "Beach closed", 2 x "Blue Bottle" and 1 x "Dangerous Conditions (Beach Closed)" mobile signs.

Resources: the SLSNSW Public Safety SOPs (online is fine), the Patrol Operations Manual (electronic is fine), and Patrol, Incident and IRB logs (Operations App or log books).

Source: SLSNSW Public Safety SOPs (September 2026), PSS 3.3.

According to your training, select the safest area of beach for the flagged primary patrol area, using an elevated observation point and/or a physical test of the area where permitted. The flagged area should be in the safest area for swimming and opened as wide as conditions, activities and resources allow.

• Distance from the water: patrol flags shall be no more than 15 metres from the water at any stage, and flags and rescue equipment must be moved with the rise and fall of the tide to stay at the water's edge.
• Factors to weigh: size and distance of the area to be patrolled, number and skill of patrons, type of activities, recreational equipment such as inflatables, hazards (rocks, sudden drop-offs), personnel and equipment available, communications, other beach users such as surfers, beach type, and prevailing weather, swell, tide and current. The type of patrol (full, partial and so on) is also a factor.
• Before setting up: make sure the beach is safe and clean, paying attention to broken glass, bottles, syringes, branches and floating debris.
• Flags to use: a pair of red and yellow feathered patrol flags marks the patrolled swimming zone; a pair of black and white quartered flags marks the surfcraft exclusion zone where the service has delegated authority.
• Surfcraft: keep a proper buffer zone between the surf craft area and the swimming area.
• No flags: deciding not to erect a flagged area does not mean the beach is closed to other participants such as surfers or nippers doing land-based activities. Before any SLS activity on a closed beach, a documented risk assessment must be completed.

Source: SLSNSW Public Safety SOPs (September 2026), PSS 3.3, PSS 5.4, PSS 7.1 and PSS 7.2.

Equipment should ideally be placed as follows:

• Rescue tubes: on the rescue board stand (or next to the board) at the water's edge, and readily available at the lifesaving base. Tubes must also be carried on the SSV or by a patrol member on roving patrols.
• Rescue boards: on the water's edge in board stands in the most appropriate area, rescue ready.
• First aid kit, oxygen resuscitation kit, spinal board and defibrillator: always kept in the patrol area or SSV, easily accessible (including splints and other accessories).
• Tent: near the flagged area, with a clear ability to observe the surrounding beach.
• Radios: with the Patrol Captain and the IRB Driver when in operation.
• IRB: at the water's edge in a rescue-ready position so it can be launched and recovered quickly without risk to beach visitors or lifesavers. Two Rescue Craft Access signs go either side of the IRB/RWC launching and retrieval area. Under standard conditions the IRB sits on the sand with the stern facing the ocean; if it must stay there a long time, the trailer is removed from the beach. Based on conditions and in consultation with the IRB Driver, the Patrol Captain can keep the IRB on its trailer (stern facing the ocean) near the water's edge.
• Buffer zone: the Patrol Captain ensures a proper buffer zone exists between the surf craft area and the swimming area.
• UAV: a designated take-off and landing area away from the public, with signage, and the UAV kept in the patrol tent when not in use.

Other equipment is placed according to local needs in the service's Patrol Operations Manual.

Source: SLSNSW Public Safety SOPs (September 2026), PSS 3.3 and PSS 7.1.

Partial Patrol (no IRB): proficient lifesavers holding either 2 x Bronze Medallion (PSAR Cert II) members (older than 17) plus 1 Surf Rescue qualified member or another Bronze member, or 1 Gold Medallion member plus 1 Bronze member; plus Silver Medallion Beach Management or Patrol Captain, Advanced Resuscitation Techniques, and SSV operation if applicable. Criteria include: not during an NSW school holiday period (unless the Branch Director of Lifesaving and State Director of Lifesaving approve an exemption) or on NSW gazetted public holidays; no planned major event that will attract large crowds; and the club Emergency Call-Out Team (ECOT), especially IRB-qualified members, is alerted. The Patrol Captain must notify SurfCom by radio on the day. If the Branch Duty Officer attends and decides a Partial Patrol is not appropriate for the risk, they consult the Patrol Captain and arrange for an IRB or RWC to attend. In a dispute, the Branch Director of Lifesaving (or the State Duty Officer if not contactable) has the final say.

Low Patronage Patrol: the decision sits with the Patrol Captain, who must use these criteria: not during school holidays or on gazetted public holidays (same exemption rule); beach attendance recorded as less than 25 people (for example for 2 hours or more) in the primary patrolling area; no planned major event; the 2 Bronze members are confident and capable of a rescue with a board or tube; and ECOT is alerted. Crew is at least 2 proficient lifesavers: 2 x Bronze Medallion (older than 17), Silver Medallion Beach Management or Patrol Captain, and Advanced Resuscitation Techniques. The Patrol Captain notifies SurfCom by radio, and approval is obtained through the Branch Director of Lifesaving or delegate, whose decision is final in a dispute.

Source: SLSNSW Public Safety SOPs (September 2026), PSS 3.3.

The decision sits with the Patrol Captain once conditions and beach attendance have been assessed. Inclement weather means excessive rain or abnormal climatic conditions (such as hail, snow, cold, high wind, severe dust storm, or a combination) where it is not reasonable to expect members to deliver a full patrol.

Crew: at least 2 financial and proficient surf lifesavers holding 2 x Bronze Medallion (PSAR Cert II) qualified members (older than 17), plus Side by Side Vehicle Operation if applicable to the club. The qualifications may be held collectively by one proficient Bronze Medallion holder.

Criteria the Patrol Captain must use:

• patrol flags and surf craft boundary flags are removed from the beach
• the beach is closed, and surveillance and supervision are required under the Lifesaving Service Agreement
• the Club Captain or Patrol Captain identifies that lifesavers are needed to supervise and watch for public safety outside the agreed Lifesaving Service Agreement hours
• the club Emergency Call-Out Team (ECOT), particularly IRB-qualified members, has been alerted in case an IRB is needed
• the patrol is not before dawn or after dusk

A surveillance patrol may continue after council lifeguards leave the beach if the Club Captain, Director of Lifesaving or Patrol Captain believe supervision is required, based on the number of patrons in the water or on the beach.

A patrol member must notify SurfCom by radio. Minimum equipment includes 2 radios on Channel 3, binoculars, a rescue board and tube, AED, oxygen resuscitator, first aid kit, spinal board and fins.

Source: SLSNSW Public Safety SOPs (September 2026), PSS 3.3.

The closing steps for a flagged patrol area are:

1. Check the Lifesaving Service Agreement for whether extended times (beyond minimum hours) are needed because of patronage or conditions.
2. Tell SurfCom of the closure, or if extending operations, notify SurfCom 30 minutes beforehand.
3. Use the public announcer or similar to tell swimmers the patrol is closing and recommend they stop swimming for the day.
4. Use in-water lifesaving personnel to tell the public, and consider a roving patrol to adjacent areas.
5. Repeat the closure message and hazard warnings to remaining swimmers if required.
6. Keep delegated personnel watching the water, and keep dedicated rescue equipment on standby, while other equipment is packed up.
7. Prepare after-hours call-out response equipment (rescue-ready).
8. Do a final surveillance sweep of the surf area before packing up standby equipment and leaving.
9. Notify club, service or branch officers of issues such as equipment damage or fuel shortages.
10. Debrief the patrol team (required at the end of every patrol).

If patronage warrants and personnel are available, surveillance with access to rescue equipment should continue for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour after closing.

IRB: at the Patrol Captain's discretion, the IRB may leave the beach no earlier than 30 minutes before the minimum closing time to be washed and refuelled, provided the driver and crew stay in radio contact and present until the minimum closing time, and the IRB is kept rescue ready (for example attached to the SSV).

Source: SLSNSW Public Safety SOPs (September 2026), PSS 7.1 and PSS 7.4.

Logs kept on every patrol: a Patrol Log, Incident Logs and an IRB Log, each in the Operations App or a log book. The Patrol Captain must ensure information is recorded correctly in the Operations App, log books and report forms, and must record in the Operations App notes that the start-of-patrol briefing took place.

Equipment problems: damaged or missing equipment is reported in the log, tagged, and communicated as soon as possible to the Club Captain or Lifeguard Supervisor. If a minimum requirement for keeping the beach open is lost (for example the IRB is no longer operational), log it in the Operations App, or if the app is not available notify SurfCom by radio on Channel 3 or the local repeater channel.

Incident logs: incident logs are required to be entered into SurfGuard (the Incident Report Database) within 24 hours of the incident.

Rescue vessel incidents: any incident involving a Surf Life Saving vessel or craft, including an IRB or RWC, must be immediately reported internally and escalated to the SLSNSW State Operations Centre or State Duty Officer. They advise whether the skipper must submit a Vessel Incident Report to Transport for NSW, which must be completed within 24 hours where the incident results in death or injury, more than $5,000 damage to a vessel or other property, or damage (or a risk of damage) to the environment.

Source: SLSNSW Public Safety SOPs (September 2026), PSS 1 (incident reporting), PSS 3.3, PSS 7.1 to 7.3.