SurfLIFE ISSUE 42 – April 2020 AUSSIE LIFESAVERS share Surf Rescue know-how with Thai Lifeguards A team of Australian Surf Life Saving trainers recently travelled to Phuket in Thailand to run lifeguard, junior lifesaver and water safety training programs for local lifeguards. The week-long training program was run by Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW) through the Australian Lifeguard Service (ALS) and was supported by the Australian Consulate-General in Phuket, the Phuket Lifeguard Service and the Phuket Hotels Association. It was hosted by the Phuket Lifeguard Service and its founder Khun Vitanya Chuayuan. A closing ceremony, hosted and the Phuket Chamber of Forty-two Thai lifeguards by the Australian Consulate- Commerce. received training in pool and General in Phuket and the Training program coordinator ocean rescue skills and 54 Phuket Lifeguard Service, high school students received David Field said the event was was held to celebrate the end an opportunity to present the training in personal water safety of a very successful training and rescue. second edition of the Thai program and to promote the Lifesaving Manual. The manual Australian Consul-General ongoing future collaboration of was adapted and translated Matthew Barclay and Deputy Thai organisations and agencies from Surf Life Saving Australia’s Governor of Phuket and towards a common goal of Public Safety Training Manual. Mayor of Patong said the bond coastal risk management, between Australian and Thai water safety and drowning A Thai-language version of a lifeguards was very strong. prevention. It also recognised children’s book which promotes the efforts of Australian water safety was also launched “I am looking forward to more Lifeguard Service trainers from at the event. The book, Pirate skills exchanges between SLSNSW who spent the week Kim: Let’s Go Swim by Thu- lifeguards from Phuket and in Phuket training their local Trang Tran, was published with Australia in the future,” said counterparts. support from the Australian Consul-General Matthew Government’s Direct Aid Barclay. The closing ceremony was Program. attended by the Deputy Australian Lifeguard Service’s Governor of Phuket, Mayor of Two highlights of the ceremony international training program Patong, Commissioner of the were Australian trainer, Lachlan coordinator, Steve Allan, from Dept of Education, Consular Field’s demonstration of the the NSW South Coast, said representatives from Australia, capabilities of SLSNSW’s UAV that the week provided the France, Chile and Brazil, Patong (drone) technology and a opportunity for Australian Police Department Disaster demonstration by Thai trainees trainers to work with local Thai Management team, Patong of a fast-paced rescue scenario trainers to facilitate ongoing, Municipal Council members, to showcase their new skills and localised training. Phuket Hotels Association knowledge. “Through the ALS’s ‘train the trainer’ approach, local Thai trainers delivered high-quality Forty-two Thai lifeguards received instruction to eager trainees, training in pool and ocean rescue strengthening the ongoing working relationships with surf skills and 54 high school students lifesavers in Phuket,” said Steve received training in personal water Allen. safety and rescue. Trailblazers march to celebrate WOMEN IN SURF LIFE SAVING On International Women’s Day on Sunday 8 March 2020, some of Surf Life Saving’s pioneering women formed a ‘Colour Party’ and led the official March Past at the NSW Surf Life Saving Championships at Swansea Belmont SLSC. They marched to recognise the contribution women have made to the Surf Life Saving movement throughout its 113-year history. he first female surf Jenny Kenny, from Cudgen lifesavers began patrolling Headland on the NSW Far Tin 1980, when Surf Life North Coast, who was among Saving Australia awarded the first women to achieve their women completing training Bronze Medallions in 1980, with their Bronze Medallions. marched in the parade. She While this year marks the 40th has volunteered continuously anniversary of women’s formal for almost 40 years and the participation as active surf same week it was announced lifesavers, the involvement that she was one of five people of women in Surf Life Saving nationally (three of them are began well before 1980. women) to be awarded Life Women have had an active Membership of Surf Life Saving role in the movement since its Australia. This is a significant inception – including those achievement and a rare honour who served as surf lifesavers that only 296 people have ever during WWII and were awarded achieved. Jenny continues to their Bronze Medallions be a trailblazer for women’s retrospectively just a couple of involvement in Surf Life Saving, years ago. with her appointment to the The All Female Colour Party most senior official position at at the March Past at the 2020 the 2020 NSW Championships, State Championships, on Carnival Referee. International Women’s Day, “The women in the March Past was first of many activities ranged in age from 14 to 80, planned to celebrate the which I think was fabulous. It achievements of women during was a really good representative this, the 40th anniversary year. team of people that have been A group of Surf Life Saving’s involved in all different levels of most outstanding current and the organisation over that time pioneering women marched in and have done some fabulous, the event on Sunday morning at fabulous work,” said Jenny Blacksmiths Beach. Kenny. “Celebrating 40 years of women in Surf Life Saving, it was wonderful to share it with a group of women that have contributed so much.” Photo left: The International Women’s Day Colour Party - NSW 2020 State Championships March Past Passionate surf lifesaver Cathy March Pasts are a traditional Surf Life Saving NSW recently Cole, from Terrigal Surf Life event at surf sports carnivals. launched an initiative to identify Saving Club, was also among Teams march in formation on pioneering women in the Surf the women marching as part the sand, carrying traditional Life Saving movement who drove of the International Women’s Surf Life Saving ‘rescue reels’ change and paved the way for Day Colour Party. She was - accompanied by a bagpipe all women to become active surf instrumental in researching band. Colour Parties form lifesavers. The role women have and locating Terrigal’s wartime part of the March Past event, played in keeping beachgoers female lifesavers. Then in their history stemming from safe throughout SLSNSW’s 113- 2017 she coordinated the First the military tradition where year history, will be celebrated Female Lifesavers recognition servicepeople and volunteers throughout 2020 - the 40th event, where women who marched carrying flags. It’s anniversary year. were wartime lifesavers were one of the more unusual surf More information is available on presented with their Bronze carnival events but one of the the SLSNSW Celebrating Women Medallions by the Governor most spectacular and colourful. in Surf Life Saving website. General. “Celebrating 40 years of women in Surf Life Saving, it was wonderful to share it with “It’s so fabulous to see women a group of women that have so totally involved now in every contributed so much,” said aspect of Surf Life Saving - and Cathy Cole. “It’s so fabulous to see women welcomed and appreciated.” so totally involved now in every aspect of Surf Life Saving - and welcomed and appreciated. This hasn’t always been the case - Nobbys SLSC first female IRB Crew, 1994/95 but certainly is now,” she said. (Kristen Ross, Julie Farmer and Ula Dalton) Also joining the International Women’s Day Colour Party and marching at last weekend’s State Championships was; Julie Farmer, from Cooks Hill; Kerry Clancy from Sawtell; Ula Dalton from Caves Beach; Jenny Drury from South Curl Curl; Kerry Armstrong Smith from Umina; Shannon Fox from Wollongong City, Maureen Worth from North Narrrabeen, Robyn Carr from Ocean Beach and Brittany Banks from North Bondi SLSNSW Archives: A selection of photos and newspaper articles from the 1980s featuring some of Surf Life Saving’s pioneering women. Aussie Lifesavers Support NEW Gaza Surf Club The Palestinian territory of Gaza isn’t well known for its beaches. Its association with the Australian Surf Life Saving movement, however, dates back to World War II and two Gazan surf lifesavers are determined to set up a new Gaza Beach Surf Lifesaving Club - with the assistance of North Steyne SLSC in Manly and the Gaza Surf Project. Gaza is a city ringed by still many people drown fortifications. It runs regularly because they cannot swim without power, has few cinemas safely,” Hasan told the Guardian or sporting clubs and a handful in a recent interview. of parks where children can Last month, Hasan Alhabil play. However, Gaza has a and Mohammed Saleh were in 45km stretch of beach on the Sydney as guests of the Gaza Mediterranean Sea which offers Surf Project and North Steyne its residents one of the few Surf Life Saving Club, training places they can relax, swim and to be Gaza’s first qualified socialise. lifesavers. They aim to return Hasan Alhabil is one of a to Palestine to establish its first handful of lifeguards who were surf club: The Gaza Beach Surf employed by the municipality Lifesaving Club. to patrol Gaza beach - after The Sydney-based Northern drownings on the beach Beaches Committee for reached an horrific 44 during Palestine group, organised and one particularly bad summer. funded the Gaza Surf Project. It Thanks to the work of the Gaza took nearly four years for them lifeguards, the average number to take the project from concept of drownings is now down to to reality. They held fundraising seven a year. However, Hasan events to pay for airfares for and fellow lifesaver Mohammed Saleh and Alhabil and then Saleh are determined to reduce began the complex process of the number of fatalities on the arranging visas and passage beach even further.