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We are Calling for Nominations for Society Honours

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Position Statement: Pool Operator Training

Royal Life Saving has released a Position Statement in respect to the qualifications required when operating a commercial aquatic facility. This statement is a result of the release of Queensland Health’s water quality guidelines for public aquatic facilities (dated December 2019). The purpose of the guideline is to reduce risk to public health and the focus is on water quality associated risks .

Our Position

In accordance with Queensland Health’s water quality guidelines ^(P42) for public aquatic facilities our position is that all staff who operate aquatic facilities undergo appropriate training for the risk level of the facility.

The minimum standard for aquatic facilities is for staff to undertake a short course in Pool Plant Operations which includes the following units of competence:

• SISCAQU001 Test Pool Water Quality
• SISCAQU003 Maintain Aquatic Facility Plant and Equipment
• SISCAQU004 Develop and Implement Pool Water Maintenance Procedures
• SISCAQU005 Develop and Implement Aquatic Maintenance Procedures
• BSBRSK401 Identify Risk and Apply Risk Management Processes

(click here for more information)

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High Risk Facilities Our position is that staff working in high risk facilities responsible for water quality complete a Cert IV in Swimming Pool & Spa Service (CPP41319) by 31 December 2020. High risk facilities are defined as: Learn-to-swim pools Shallow-depth interactive play pools Artificial lagoons with unrestricted access Interactive water features Water slides Pools used by incontinent people Wading pools Program pools Spas Medium Risk Facilities We recommend that operators of medium risk facilities also complete a Certificate IV in Swimming Pool and Spa Service (CPP41319), medium risk facilities include: Interactive water features Water slides Pools used by incontinent people Wading pools Program pools Spas 25M & 50M Pools Gym Pools Holidays Park Pools Hydrotherapy Pools School Pools Resort Pools Motel Pools Theme Park Wave Pools Course Providers and Implementation Date Royal Life Saving recommends that these training course be completed with an industry body in Queensland which is a Registered Training Organisation. The training for the short course should be implemented immediately. Our position is that operators of high risk facilities should have staff training completed by 31 December 2020. A Cert IV course can take a long period of time to complete and we recommend that operators enroll staff in to a course before 30 June 2020. References Royal Life Saving Position Statement Queensland Health: water quality guidelines for public aquatic facilities Course Outline: Pool Plant Operations (short course) Course Outline: Cert IV in Swimming Pool & Spa Service (CPP41319) (click here to close)

Please Contact Us for more information.

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New Trainers Arrangements

Following the recent ASQA Direction, we are changing how trainers operate with us. Download the Trainers Information Brochure here.

All trainers will need to sign a new Trainers Agreement and attend a workshop. Trainers, please check your email for more information.

We are holding the final trainers workshop on the following date to assist explain changes to trainers:

• Tuesday 18 February 2020 (6pm to 9pm), Course Code 1158281

Please register for this workshop by booking in using this link and using the course code above. Please note that the workshop has a fee of $50.00 per person and include two (2) PD point for annual professional development with us. We have live Skype access (search for RLSSQ Training Skype contact) to this workshop for those in North Queensland and rural/remote trainers.

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Cert III and Cert IV in Swimming Pool & Spa Service

Royal Life Saving is offering the following courses:

• CPP31218 Certificate III in Swimming Pool and Spa Service
• CPP41319 Certificate IV in Swimming Pool and Spa Service

Download a Course Brochure here which includes more details and information about the course.

Course Dates:	Monday 20 April 2020 to Friday 1 May 2020. Please express interest and we will discuss dates with you.
Course Venue:	The Plantation, 1204 New Cleveland Road, Gumdale QLD
Course Cost:	$3,200.00 (including GST)

Download the course enrolment form here.

The course is subject to minimum number which will be confirmed one week before course commencement.

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Is your Home Swimming Pool Safe?

Download our free Home Pool Safety Checklist and check if your swimming pool is safe. You can order supplies from the Life Saving Shop or book into a CPR course here.

Contact us for more information.

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Are you SwimReady for Summer?

Australians aged 45 years and over are being encouraged to consult their doctor before enjoying the health benefits of swimming to prevent drowning deaths involving people with pre-existing conditions.

All medication has possible side effects that can have an impact on exercise. This can put people at higher risk of drowning when participating in aquatic activities. For example, dizziness, fainting, chest pain, headaches, confusion, blurred vision and muscle pain, can all affect a person’s capacity to stay safe in water.

Drowning data from 2008/09 to 2017/18 suggests that, for unintentional fatal drownings in older people, an estimated 36% were taking some form of medication or drug. Of these, 65% of drownings involved multiple drugs.

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POSITION STATEMENT ON SAFE USE OF MEDICAL OXYGEN CYLINDERS IN AQUATIC CENTRES

Following a recent incident at a facility in Western Australia, Royal Life Saving Society - Australia has updated its Recommendations for Safe Use of Medical Oxygen Cylinders.

The incident in Western Australia saw two people injured in a lifeguard training session, when one lifeguard lost control of the cylinder during the cracking process. Consequently the cylinder shot through the air injuring two people. Royal Life Saving advises "the dangers involved in the process of cracking a cylinder, such as those outlined above, have resulted in the decision to remove the instruction to crack a cylinder prior to attaching a regulator.”

While it as been common place to crack cylinders for reasons of hygiene, changes to packaging that has been implemented over a period of time, has also nullified the importance of this method. The following advice should extend to Training Sessions and Aquatic Centre procedures involving the setup and use of Medical Grade Oxygen:

• Read the supplier's instructions for all gas products carefully.
• Comply with the supplier's instructions.
• Do NOT crack the cylinder, or open the valve before the regulator has been fitted to the cylinder.
• If difficulties occur when fitting the regulator to the cylinder, or if further information is required, contact the cylinder supplier and regulator supplier before acting. There could be a mismatch or damage to locator pins, so it is important to identify the problem rather than apply force.

View our Position Statement here

Download the Safety Alert here

Royal Life Saving training materials will be updated in due course.

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National Drowning Report

Click here to download the 2019 National Drowning Report. Click here to see the Queensland summary.

The Royal Life Saving National Drowning Report identified 64 drowning deaths occurred across Queensland in 2018/19, 86% of which were males and 39% were in rivers and creeks. Nine children under the age of 5 drowned, reinforcing the importance of supervising children around water.

Of these, 123 deaths (45%) occurred over the summer period, which is a 17% increase compared with the 10‐year average. Overall, 101 drowning deaths occurred in inland waterways and 31 in swimming pools. There were 122 coastal drowning deaths, which includes 71 on beaches, 22 at rock/cliff locations and 18 offshore. Over 80% of total drowning deaths were male.

Royal Life Saving Queensland CEO Paul Barry said “Royal Life Saving is urging Queenslanders to supervise children around water, ensure their pool fence is in good working order in the lead up to summer, and to create safe play areas for children on properties with dams”.

32% of Queensland drowning deaths were young adults between the ages of 18 to 34 years. “The report reinforces the importance of ensuring all Australians have the swimming and water safety skills to enjoy our beautiful waterways safely” said Mr Barry.

To stay safe around water, Royal Life Saving and Surf Life Saving Australia urge all Australians to:

• Supervise children at all times around water
• Learn swimming and lifesaving skills
• Wear a lifejacket when boating, rock fishing or paddling
• Swim at a patrolled beach between the red and yellow flags
• Avoid alcohol and drugs around water

(click here for more reports)

National Drowning Report 2018 National Drowning Report 2017 National Drowning Report 2016 National Drowning Report 2015 National Drowning Report 2014

National Drowning Report 2013 National Drowning Report 2012 National Drowning Report 2011 National Drowning Report 2010 National Drowning Report 2009

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RLSS Commonwealth Young Life Saver of the Year

The Royal Life Saving Society is pleased to announce that Marie Dunne has been honoured with the Commonwealth Young Lifesaver of the Year Award.

The Award recognises those young volunteers who are the future of the Society. Each recipient is an individual whose voluntary contributions and achievements have significantly impacted on the Society and it's work and those assisted in our global drowning prevention mission.

Marie joined the Ithaca-Caloundra City Life Saving Club Inc in 2014 at the age of 13 years. She has volunteered community lifesaving patrols at Bulcock Beach, Caloundra since, with exceptional commitment. During the 2014-15 season Marie patrolled 227 hours, during 2015-16 she did 335 hours; 2016-17 she did 344 hours; 2017-18 she did 341 hours and in 2018-19 she did 231 hours. This hours do not include her countless work in training, community work and education. Marie was presented the award at the Aquafutures function on Sat 17 August 2019, and is pictured with Em Pro John Hemsley Pearn, Mrs Gwen Welford & Mr Les Mole (President).

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Annual Report

Royal Life Saving has released the 2018-19 Annual Report for teh Society in Queensland. Download your copy of the Annual Report here.

The Annual Report celebrates 125 years of life saving in Australia. Royal Life Saving is the first and oldest life saving society in Australia being formed in Sydney in 1894. Read more about us here.

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RLSS Sport Hub

RLSSA has released a sports hub, which is a new online sports portal for all things pool life saving. The hub provides current and prospective pool lifesaving volunteers, coaches, athletes, officials, and facilitators with the knowledge, resources and network to continue their journey in swimming and lifesaving whether that be in the pool, on pool deck, in the community or abroad.

Browse the Sport Hub to find out more about the unique and dynamic sport of pool lifesaving and how you can get involved.

Click here for the RLSS Sports Hub

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Pool Lifeguard Re-accreditation Course

It's time to book your Pool Lifeguard re-accreditation. All Pool Lifeguard re-accreditation's successfully completed with us include HLTAID001 provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Have a look at the link below for a course convenient to you, or we can come to your facility to run tailored courses that are designed around your facility and the skills of your staff.

Royal Life Saving Queensland in the oldest life saving society in Queensland and the aquatic industry peak body.

Click here to register or enquire

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GoodSAM®

GoodSAM is the world's most advanced emergency alerting and dispatching platform. GoodSAM is set up to work with ambulance and pre-hospital services to enable qualified bystanders to provide life saving care in emergencies. The app enables those with a Royal Life Saving First Aid certificate to register on the app and help the community. GoodSAM is also the world's largest public AED Registry, and have also launched the world’s first mobile AED tracking system.

The app allows alerters to dial the emergency services, and at the same time notify nearby qualified responders (including those with a First Aid certificate) of a medical emergency. By alerting responders of an emergency, GoodSAM connects those in need with those who have the skills to provide critical help before the emergency services arrive.

Royal Life Saving Queensland is the first Queensland organisation to register with GoodSAM. Holders of a current Royal Life Saving Queensland First Aid certificate are able to register as a responder on the app.

Please consider downloading the app and registering as an Alerter or Responder. Click here for more information.

View the map of responders

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Alcohol and Drowning

Download our latest research information here.

New research reveals about as many as one‐in‐six people who swim in rivers is under the influence of alcohol. A study conducted by RLSS and James Cook University surveyed locals and tourists at four river locations (one in Queensland). Researchers used a breathalyser to gauge if people were swimming under the influence of alcohol. A total of 684 people were surveyed and breathalysed across 16 days at the four research sites. Amy Peden (National Manager of Research and Policy) said the study found 16 percent (1 in 6) of swimmers recorded a positive blood alcohol content (BAC) and seven percent were over the legal driving limit.

Media Release - One in Six.

In the past decade, 1,995 men have drowned. Men are four times more likely to drown than women, with males accounting for 80% of all drowning deaths. A culture of risk taking behaviour among men can be dangerous around water, and when combined with alcohol and/or drugs it is often fatal.

Almost a quarter (24%) of male drowning deaths involved alcohol alone. Of the men who had been drinking and subsequently drowned, 67% would have failed a random breath test with a recorded a blood alcohol content above 0.05%.

Tips For Looking Out For Your Mates:

1. Stand up to your mates if they suggest swimming or taking out a boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol. "Woah, easy there. Where do you think you're going? Not in your state mate."
2. Suggest alternative activities away from the water when under the influence of drugs or alcohol
3. Challenge your mates to a round of ping pong, watch your favourite sport on the tele, or take a good ol' nap.
4. Enjoying the water before any drugs alcohol consumed
5. Not leaving them alone if they’re under the influence around water

KEY FACTS

Download our factsheet here.

• 1,995 men aged 15 years and over have fatally drowned between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2017
• 464 cases were known to involve alcohol (24%)
• 436 cases were known to involve drugs (22%)
• 726 cases were known to involve alcohol and/or drugs (37%)
• Men aged 25-34 account for 19% of all male drowning deaths.
• 46% of men aged 25-34 years who drowned were known to involve alcohol and/or drugs (166 deaths out of 361)
• 47% of male drowning deaths in rivers, creeks and streams were known to involve alcohol and/or drugs (261 deaths out of 556)

More Information

• National Drowning Report 2017
• National Drowning Report 2017, Queensland Extract

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Swim & Survive

Is your school registered for the Swim and Survive program?

We provide partners free lesson plans, certificates and support to deliver the swim and survive program. Your school can register to deliver the swim and survive program here. You can also get free resources here. Have more questions or would like to booik a workshop, why not contact us.

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Download free books:
7.2 MB	10.7 MB
The Bronze Medallion & Life Saving Story by J.R. McClelland	Numismatic History of The Royal Life Saving Society Australia by J.R. McClelland