Surf Life Saving Australia - Circular
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Title:
Introduction of the 34 Edition Public Safety and Aquatic Rescue Training Manual
Document ID:
01/14-15
Audience:
All club members
From:
Pamela Simon, Education Manager
Date:
02 July 2014
Subject:
34 Edition – Public Safety and Aquatic Rescue Training Manual
Summary:
The 34 Edition of the Public Safety and Aquatic Rescue Training Manual will be released in August.
This circular provides a summary of the changes to the manual and details regarding its
implementation.
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The review process
The Public Safety and Aquatic Rescue Training Manual is the foundation of lifesaving and lifeguard training across all SLS
activities. Aligned to the Certificate II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue), the manual provides an introduction to key concepts
and techniques used in lifesaving. In order to keep pace with the public safety industry, the manual is reviewed regularly and
updated where required.
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A call for nominations to the review committee and submissions of feedback on the 33 Edition Public Safety and Aquatic
Rescue Training Manual was made in October 2012 (Circular 36/12-13). From the nominations received, the Chair of
Lifesaving, Mark Fife, and the Editor, Amy Teale, selected appropriately qualified candidates for both the Editorial Panel and
the Advisory Group. These selections were then endorsed by the National Lifesaving Standing Committee.
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The Editorial Panel held a number of face-to-face meetings in 2013 to discuss the feedback received on the 33 Edition and to
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draft the content for the new 34 Edition. All of the feedback collected by the Chair of Lifesaving and the Editor via the states
and direct submissions to SLSA was considered in turn by the Editorial Panel.
Cost and ordering
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The manual will continue to be sold via the online shop for the same price as the 33 Edition ($30.80 inc GST). This price will
now include an individually allocated eBook code that will allow the purchaser access to an electronic version of the manual.
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The 34 edition will be available for purchase via the online shop on the 1 of August.
eBook
The eBook is hosted on the secure online platform Vital Source. You will need to download the bookshelf application to your
device, create an account, enter your secure code (from the print version of the book) and download the eBook to the
application. The Vital Source platform will allow you to access your manual on a number of devices: desktop, laptop, tablet or
smartphone.
Bronze Medallion and Surf Rescue Certificate
The overall structure for Bronze Medallion (BM) candidates and Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC) candidates remains the same.
That is, the SRC candidates complete only the following Chapters:
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Chapter 1 – Safety and Wellbeing
Chapter 2 – Surf Awareness and Skills
Chapter 3 – The Human Body
Chapter 4 – Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Chapter 6 – First Aid
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Chapter 7 – Communications (note change in order of Chapters 7 and 8 from the 33 )
Chapter 9 – Rescue Techniques
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Rosebery, NSW 2018
Locked Bag 1010
Rosebery, NSW 2018
t. +61 2 9215 8000
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ABN 67 449 738 159

Chapter 11 – Beach Management (note new title for Chapter 11)
Assessment structure
SLSA has set the minimum assessment standards required for both the SRC and the BM. The practical assessment focus of the
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33 Edition has remained unchanged however an additional theory assessment has been included with the 34 Edition. This
assessment may be done either online or on paper, depending on how the training course is being delivered.
Flexible delivery option
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There is a new online BM training tool to complement the 34 Edition manual. This course is available to all members,
although may not be utilised by every training group. Trainers will have the option of using the online course for blended
delivery or conducting all training face-to-face. State/Territory Centres can provide instructions to Trainers wishing to take up
the flexible delivery option.
Implementation issues
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The 34 Edition is aligned to the PUA21012 Certificate II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue). All Trainers, Assessors and
Facilitators who are currently endorsed as per their State/Territory requirements will be able to continue delivering the BM
with the introduction of the new manual. SLSA recommends that the new manual is used exclusively from the start of season
2014/15.
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Key changes from the 33 Edition
1. Lifeguards are now included in the manual as part of the SLS commitment to a one service model between clubs and the
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Australian Lifeguard Service (ALS). The language and photos used in the 34 Edition are therefore intended to be generic to
both lifesavers and lifeguards.
2. Patients are no longer routinely to be rolled on their side to assess breathing as part of DRSABCD. This is in line with the new
Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) Guidelines on resuscitation of the drowning patient. The ARC Guidelines state that
patients should be assessed on their backs to aid speed of assessment and delivery of CPR if required. Participants should not
be penalised in assessment for assessing a patient’s breathing on their side; either technique is acceptable for SLS purposes.
3. Additional content on surf formation has been included in Chapter Two - Surf Awareness and Skills. There is a significant
amount of new material in this section, including the change of content relating to types of rip currents. This change reflects
the latest scientific understandings of rip currents and coastal geomorphology.
4. Rip current avoidance and survival principles have been added to Chapter Two - Surf Awareness and Skills. These principles
have been developed in consultation with leading industry and scientific experts as part of SLSA’s ongoing research into rip
currents.
5. The 3 person walk up spinal has been added to Chapter 10 - Carries and Supports. This is to reflect situations where there
may not be sufficient personal available to perform a team spinal support. Such a scenario is likely for ALS services or on very
busy days where sufficient team members are unavailable to assist.
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6. Removal of the 5 person carry from Chapter 10 - Carries and Supports. In the 33 Edition, the 5 person carry was only
included for reference and was removed from the assessment criteria for the BM. In keeping with the phase-out of this
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technique, the 5 person carry has been removed altogether from the 34 Edition.
7. Lymphatic system added to Chapter 3 - The Human Body to meet with unit of competency requirements.
8. Stroke and anaphylaxis added to Chapter 6 - First Aid to meet with unit of competency requirements.
9. In-water rescue breathing removed as a standard technique from tube and board rescues in Chapter 9 - Rescue Techniques.
The emphasis should be on a quick return to shore. In-water rescue breathing has been left in the manual for demonstration
purposes only and is no longer assessable. In-water rescue breathing should only be used when immediate return to shore is
not possible. This is also part of the new ARC Guidelines on resuscitation of the drowning patient.
Surf Life Saving Australia
789 Botany Rd
Rosebery, NSW 2018
Locked Bag 1010
Rosebery, NSW 2018
t. +61 2 9215 8000
f. +61 2 9215 8180
w. sls.com.au
ABN 67 449 738 159
10. Broadside board rescue is included in Chapter 9 - Rescue Techniques for knowledge only. This is not assessable, but should
perform part of the suite of board skills developed by participants.
11. Chapter 11 is now called Beach Management to reflect the broader commitment to one service.
12. Chapter 11 includes new scanning information from the Silver Medallion Aquatic Rescue course. These techniques are also
assessable knowledge.
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Changes from the 33 Edition chapter-by-chapter
Overall
Introduction
Chapter 1 – Safety
and Wellbeing
Chapter 2 – Surf
Awareness and
Skills
Chapter 3 – The
Human Body
Chapter 4 –
Cardiopulmonary
Resuscitation
Chapter 5 – Basic
Oxygen and
Defibrillation
Techniques
Surf Life Saving Australia
789 Botany Rd
Rosebery, NSW 2018
Locked Bag 1010
Rosebery, NSW 2018
- Language updated to be generic to the lifesaver and lifeguard work environment
- All photos and illustrations updated to include new uniforms where possible and
images of lifeguards
- Condensed history of SLSA
- Added history of ALS
- Added international context
- History table expanded
- Removed SLSA strategic priorities
- Induction checklist reduced to one page
- All content updated to match new WH&S legislation
- Explanation that SLS activities are considered workplaces
- Duty to Rescue added
- Further detail on costs of accidents and injuries in the workplace
- Food pyramid removed
- ABS reference on workplace accidents and injuries updated
- More detail included on sun safety
- More detail added on how waves are formed, including relationship between air
pressure and wind; wind energy and wave generation; anatomy of a swell; surf
forecasting; set formation; waves interacting with the coastline; local winds
- Wave type pictures changed
- Surfzone currents added, including longshore and littoral currents and rip currents
- Identifying rip currents information has been updated
- Behaviour of rip currents information added
- Types of rip currents information and pictures changed
- Escaping from a rip current information updated
- Inshore currents and holes deleted
- More information added on tides and effects on local hazards in surfzone added
- Dangerous marine creatures added (marine stingers, crocodiles, sharks)
- Dolphining changed to Dolphin Diving
- Use of swim fins added
- Lymphatic system added
- More detail on heart function added to circulatory system
- Clearer sequencing of information
- Order of information changed – basics given first, then variations
- Clarification added that hand position for compressions does not matter as long as
compressions remain effective
- More detail added on why distension of the stomach hinders effective CPR
- Detail on identifying when the patient is breathing normally added
- DRSABCD flowchart moved to front of chapter
- Flowchart for drowned patient removed
- Resuscitation of drowned patient initial assessment now on the back, not on the side
- Team CPR text updated for clarity
- Explanation that defibrillation can be used on both adults and children added
- Sequence of information changed to be more logical
- More detail added on when to use oxygen therapy
t. +61 2 9215 8000
f. +61 2 9215 8180
w. sls.com.au
ABN 67 449 738 159
Chapter 6 – First
Aid
Chapter 7 –
Communications
NB: Chapters 7 & 8
swapped in order
Chapter 8 – Radio
Operations
Chapter 9 – Rescue
Techniques
Chapter 10 –
Carries and
Supports
Chapter 11 – Beach
Management
NB: Chapter title
changed
Surf Life Saving Australia
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Rosebery, NSW 2018
Locked Bag 1010
Rosebery, NSW 2018
- Table added on communicating with casualties
- SAMPLE mnemonic added to vital signs
- Anaphylaxis added
- Cardiac arrest highlighted
- Stroke added, including FAST mnemonic
- Quick tips to check vital signs table added
- Pulse checks added, with emphasis that they are for use on obviously alive patients for
vital signs only
- Table of symptoms for stages of hypothermia added
- Do no harm for soft tissue injuries expanded on
- New images added to marine stingers table indicating scale
- Ability to identify flags added to learning outcomes
- New diagram added on barriers to communication reflective of encoding and decoding
principles
- Figures on non-verbal communication removed
- Simple actions added to non-verbal communication
- Use of whistles emphasised
- Australian standard symbols updated
- Helicopter signals moved to Chapter 11
- Emergency alarm and mass rescue bells removed and loudhailer/siren added
- Yellow, red, emergency evacuation, craft, red and yellow (quartered and feathered)
flags added
- More detailed radio basics section added, covering: waves, networks, channels,
frequencies, modulation
- Phonetic alphabet added (not assessable)
- Unconscious tube and board rescues – in water rescue breathing not provided as
standard; emphasis is now on fast return to shore
- Broad side board rescue added (what to do when it goes wrong!)
- Spinal injury detail and principles refined
- 5 person carry removed
- 3 person walk up spinal added
- ATV transport added
- Lower importance on pistol grip due to manual handling risks
- Introduction refined
- Wording adopted throughout to apply to any team – lifeguard or patrol
- Rescue readiness added
- Open beach and surveillance patrol methods added
- Water safety policy added
- Special events added
- Major emergencies added
- Hazardous conditions added
- Scanning section completely revised, including addition of strategies from SMAR
- Standards of dress section revised
- Crowd control section revised
- Support services section revised
- Patient transfer added to IRB awareness
- Helicopter safety section revised
- Assistance of doctors section revised
t. +61 2 9215 8000
f. +61 2 9215 8180
w. sls.com.au
ABN 67 449 738 159