Life Saving Victoria Life Saving Victoria ABN 21 102 927 364 200 The Boulevard Annual Report 2019-20 Life Saving Victoria Port Melbourne VIC 3207 PO Box 353, South Melbourne VIC 3205 Annual Report 2019-20 Tel (03) 9676 6900 Fax (03) 9681 8211 mail@lsv.com.au www.lsv.com.au #InThisTogether CONTENTS PRESIDENT’S REPORT President’s Report 3 Area of Focus A Honours The 2019-20 season was an unusual one with beach closures due Lifesaving Services 20 & Awards 54 to bushfires and poor air quality, followed by COVID-19, which also CEO’s Overview 4 meant an early end to the patrol season. Area of Focus B Council Executives Our Board 6 Pool & Waterway Safety 24 & Committees 56 Despite these hindrances, our lifesavers and lifeguards still performed Governance 8 a solid 475 rescues and 2,339 first aid applications during the Area of Focus C Life Members 57 season. Showcasing the strength of our movement, volunteer Strategic Plan Member Development 28 Supporters 58 membership reached record numbers, increasing to more than 2016–2020 9 Area of Focus D 38,000. This was up from slightly Addressing the Community Education & more than 35,000 the previous Drowning Toll 10 Training 32 7% year, representing a seven per cent increase. The long-term #InThisTogether 11 Area of Focus E increase in member acquisition strategies of Aquatic Sport 38 Financial Overview 12 membership, many clubs really came into Area of Focus F Our Diverse Partners 16 fruition this year. Risk & Research 42 up from 35,383 Search and Rescue Our aquatic industry has been Area of Focus G to 38,123 Capability Profile 18 extremely hard hit by the Diversity 46 COVID-19 restrictions with While it’s been an unusual year, it has also been a year during which I was immensely proud of the way the lifesaving community came Area of Focus H long-term closures of public swimming pools and many children together in support of other emergency service agencies as the Sector Development missing out on swimming lessons. impact of devastating bushfires & Support 50 Despite the hardships, I was proud to see LSV develop so many ravaged Eastern Victoria, as well great initiatives to inspire and connect with the aquatic industry While it’s been an as in support of Mallacoota Surf throughout the year. This included the annual Pool Safety Summit, unusual year, it has Life Saving Club, which was and Water Safety Week and Beyond events, Blue Connections and also been a year severely impacted by the fires, the innovative Aquatic Fitness and Recreation Industry (AFAR) during which I was with supplies and offers to help. Professional Development series. immensely proud of As the club’s president Simon These successful initiatives saw impressive attendance figures, the way the lifesaving Berry said at the time, “If there’s a including 230 participants for our Pool Safety Summit, 290 for our community came silver lining, it’s the support the face-to-face pool safety technical workshops, and 5,501 for the together. lifesaving community has shown AFAR series. Our delivery of training qualifications also continued us; we’re massively grateful.” with innovative online versions. I thank the hard work of those I recognise the numerous volunteer LSV members who continue to delivering these programs for their willingness to adapt to an online respond and assist other emergency services in the battle against environment. COVID-19, undertaking tasks not normally completed by our For our athletes and the hundreds of volunteers who enjoy lifesavers, as part of LSV’s responsibilities under the State Health MISSION participating behind-the-scenes at aquatic sports events, COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan (SHERP). also dealt a hard blow with many cancellations of events, including Our employees, executive staff, Board, committees and the many Front Cover: To prevent aquatic-related the Youth/Senior Victorian State Championships, and inflatable volunteers and members of this great organisation have worked This year’s cover images rescue boat and pool competitions. tirelessly to achieve so many things. In doing so, we have continued death and injury in all Victorian represent the unique to deliver on our important mission to prevent aquatic related death challenges of 2019-20, Similarly, the Valuing Volunteers evening was also postponed and communities. later cancelled. During this time, LSV reached out to clubs and and injury in all Victorian communities, within a completely changed including bushfires and a environment. This is a testament to the overall strength and fortitude members frequently to offer support, as well as online sessions global pandemic; the impacts of LSV. of these on the Victorian relating to mental health, and virtual aquatic sports programs and VISION lifesaving and aquatic training. It’s my hope that the inconvenience of COVID-19 restrictions will be forgotten quicker than the silver lining of 2019-20 – a reminder of the communities, including From nippers practicing dolphin dives under cushions thanks to support and resilience shown by members and the aquatic industry, All Victorians will learn water service modifications and Nippers @Home, to officials learning new skills online, our members as well as how grateful we can be to have had the lifesaving facility shutdowns; and the embraced the preparation for the upcoming season in ways they safety, swimming and community to lean on during this year. theme of technology being a didn’t expect. resuscitation, and be provided key response to connect Yours in lifesaving, with safe aquatic environments with our communities while staying apart. and venues. Photo credit for lifeguard image: Geelong Advertiser. Paul James ASM President 2 LIFE SAVING VICTORIA ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 PRESIDENT’S REPORT 3 address this coastal drowning black spot. This successful campaign We have also placed a strong focus on member wellbeing this year, CEO’S OVERVIEW will provide an important model as we seek to repeat the initiative in delivering a range of presentations at conferences, forums, and other black spot drowning areas in the future. meetings for both volunteers and staff. The Mental Wellbeing Monday An online swimming and water safety toolkit was relaunched this year, online series, covering topics that will assist our people to stay well and offering easier navigation to support schools, swim schools and the to proactively manage their wellbeing through this year’s challenging How would you summarise 2019-20? community to deliver high quality school swimming and water safety circumstances, has been particularly popular. education, as required by the Victorian Curriculum. The 2019-20 season was marred by bushfires, poor air quality and a What is LSV doing to lead water safety initiatives global pandemic. It was challenging for everyone and it has caused us internationally? to rethink how we deliver all of our training, services, programs and What are some of the safety initiatives LSV has taken We continued to develop our close ties with Royal Life Saving Bahrain public messaging. the lead on for public pools or innovations in aquatic environments? with trials of LSV’s six-lane, 25-metre Inflatable Pool being conducted in It was also a time when our lifesavers drew on their resilience and skills the Kingdom of Bahrain. This versatile swimming pool was developed to help each other, the communities they serve and other emergency While swimming pools in Victoria were shut down, LSV’s Pool Safety for open waterways, such as rivers, lakes and oceans, to help bridge the service agencies – whether coming together to raise funds and donate team mobilised key industry partners to deliver the Aquatic, Fitness and gap between experiencing supplies and equipment to Mallacoota Surf Life Saving Club, Recreation Professional Development series. Another key addition to our training course offerings this year is the inclusion of LSV’s swim teacher swimming at a pool and the open transporting supplies to bushfire-hit regions using the Westpac Lifesaver INTERNATIONAL NEWS qualifications. water. Rescue Helicopter, monitoring beach access issues with the Westpac Trials of This year, the 2019 Building Life Saver Rescue Drones, or adapting events, training and meetings We launched the SwimSafe public safety campaign, representing an Leaders Scholarship celebrated into virtual alternatives to stay connected. attempt to make public pools safer for higher-risk swimmers. The LSV’s six-lane, recommendations of the campaign have now been implemented at its ninth year. The six-month The LSV response to COVID-19 needed to be innovative, especially in more than 75 public pools across Victoria. The project was also 25-metre development program for current the use of technology, and included developing the Water Safety @Home nominated for the Parks and Leisure Australia Research Project Award. and emerging lifesaving and resources and the online sessions to keep members, the aquatic Inflatable Pool aquatic industry leaders saw industry, children, parents and teachers involved and connected. For a better understanding of the Victorian public pool landscape, LSV were held in and Aquatics and Recreation Victoria collaborated for a second year on scholars travel to Sri Lanka where As examples of the @Home series the State of the Sector Report. This report aims to enable improved Bahrain they shared their expertise with we had iterations including COVID-19 RESPONSE analysis and evaluation to support of water safety decision making for local lifesavers and emergency swimming, nippers, first aid for Kingdom. Water Safety aquatic facilities. services staff, as well as business Considerable effort has been applied to developing COVID-Safe plans kids and CPR for kids. Similarly, and government stakeholders. for clubs and we are modelling many different scenarios for lifesaving new public training @Home and @Home resources How is LSV contributing in the emergency services Taking our drowning prevention mission to the world stage, LSV activities for the upcoming season.