Lennox Head the venue for Lifeguard School
Thirty surf lifesavers from northern NSW and south-east Queensland attended the 2008 Lifeguard School held in Lennox Head this week.
Lifesavers from the Gold Coast south to Macksville were selected to take part in the School, which is the training program for those lifesavers who wish to be appointed as employed lifeguards over summer.
The camp was conducted by Australian Lifeguard Services, a division of Surf Life Saving NSW.
The program kicked off with an 800 metre pool swim and a physical and skills assessment in testing conditions at Shelly Beach, Ballina.
Sessions for the remainder of the week included Beach Management and Public Safety, Advanced Emergency Care, Law Enforcement, Incident Control, Media Management, and dealing with hazardous materials.
Speakers from local councils and emergency services delivered sessions on the Local Government Act, ambulance protocols and public relations.
Speakers included Senior Constable Michael Hogan from the NSW Police Force, Inspector Chris Fabri from NSW Fire Brigades and Mayor of Byron Shire Council, Cr Jan Barham.
Northern NSW Lifeguard Co-ordinator Stephen Leahy said the school gave the students the skills to work on the beach, but senior lifeguards assessed the candidates on their suitability to be appointed as an employed Lifeguard.
“We assess the students’ aptitude, personality, how they handle stressful situations and how they communicate with others,” said Mr Leahy.
“Not only do we want lifeguards to be skilled rescuers but they must have the people-skills to deal with many different situations. We also expect lifeguards to be wonderful ambassadors for their Council and for surf lifesaving.”
