2009-10 National Coastal Safety Report

Preventing coastal drowning deatHs in australia

2010 National Coastal Safety Report

2009/10 NatioNal CoaStal Safety SNapShot

oveRall> 82 CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS

> Below the five yeaR aveRage of 88

deMogRaphiC> 66 (80%) weRe MaleS

> 17 (21%) viCtiMS weRe aged BetweeN 40-49 yeaRS, the MoSt CoMMoN age-gRoup

> 26 (32%) viCtiMS weRe of a foReigN ethNiCity

> 5 (6%) viCtiMS weRe iNteRNatioNal touRiStS

CauSe> 26 (32%) CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS

attRiButed to SwiMMiNg/wadiNg

> 19 (23%) RoCk fiShiNg Related CoaStal deathS

> 20 (24%) CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS attRiButed to Rip CuRReNtS

> 15 ShaRk Related iNCideNtS, 10 of whiCh ReSulted iN iNjuRy, with ZeRo deathS

tiMe> 13 (16%) oCCuRRed BetweeN

4pM-5pM the MoSt CoMMoN tiMe of day

> 33 (41%) oCCuRRed oN a SatuRday aNd SuNday

> 27 (33%) oCCuRRed BetweeN deCeMBeR to feBRuaRy duRiNg SuMMeR

lifeSaviNg aCtivity> 97 ReSuSCitatioNS

> 21,622 ReSCueS

> 117,549 fiRSt aidS

> 1,325,638 pReveNtative aCtioNS

loCatioN> 43 (52%) oCCuRRed at a BeaCh

> 40 (49%) viCtiMS lived gReateR thaN 50kM fRoM theiR dRowNiNg loCatioN

> 34 (42%) viCtiMS lived oNly 10kM fRoM the CoaStliNe

> 35 (43%) deathS oCCuRRed leSS thaN 1kM fRoM a lifeSaviNg SeRviCe

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CoNteNtS

Why do people drown? / 3

Coastal drowning deaths 2009/10 – national overview / 4

New South Wales / 7

Queensland / 9

South Australia / 13

Victoria / 14

Western Australia / 11

Tasmania / 16

Northern Territory / 17

Lifesaving activity around the coast in 09/10 / 18

Prevention of coastal drowning deaths / 19

Glossary of terms / 20

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pReveNtiNg CoaStal dRowNiNgS aRouNd auStRalia for more than 100 years, australians and visitors to australia have been drawn to our coastline. with over an estimated 100 million beach visitations each year, the task of ensuring the safety of everyone who visits australia’s 11,600 beaches and 36,000km coastline is an extremely challenging one, and one that Surf life Saving (SlS) has been dedicated to for the past 100 years.

Since 1907, when a group of surf life saving clubs on Sydney’s beaches first emerged, the network of services protecting our coastline has grown rapidly. today, volunteer surf lifesavers, SlS and council-employed lifeguards, rescue helicopters, rescue boats, surveillance systems and radio control and coordination centres all work together to ensure that our beaches are the safest in the world. this collaborative approach to coastal safety is essential in preventing drowning along our coastline.

despite this extensive network of services, coastal drowning deaths are still at unacceptable levels. in the year 2009-2010, there were 82 coastal drowning deaths in Australia, and while this figure is down on the last year’s 94 coastal drowning deaths it still shows that there is significant work ahead of us to reduce the drowning toll – every life lost is one life too many.

SlSa produces the National Coastal Safety Report to assist and support evidence-based decision making by all coastal safety service providers.

this report highlights some of the key initiatives Surf life Saving – together with our partners in coastal safety services – has developed and implemented to help reduce coastal drownings and injuries on the australian coastline. we are committed to achieving the goal outlined in the australian water Safety Strategy 2008-2011: to reduce drowning deaths by 50% by 2020.

this is an ambitious undertaking, but one that is achievable through a strong, collaborative and evidence-based approach. i commend this report to you as part of that process.

Brett williamson oaM Chief Executive Officer Surf life Saving australia

data ColleCtioN MethodologySlSa uses its own central database, Surfguard, to record details of coastal drowning deaths and other serious incidents. this data is referenced against media monitoring reports, partner organisation reports and data from the National Coroners information System (NCiS).

This information is verified with the assistance of each State Surf life Saving Centre, and compiled for analysis by Surf life Saving australia’s lifesaving department.

the 2010 National Coastal Safety Report contains information on all confirmed coastal drowning deaths for the period of 01/07/09 to 30/06/10. this information is correct as at 30 august, 2010. all care is taken to ensure the statistical information included within this report is correct. however, pending the outcome of ongoing coronial investigations, this data may change.

The definition of what constitutes a coastal drowning death is contained within the glossary of terms on page 20.

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why do people dRowN?An understanding of why people drown is significant when developing drowning prevention strategies. Four key factors have been identified that may lead to accidental drowning, known as the ‘Drowning Chain’. any of these factors alone, or a combination, could lead to death by drowning.

drowning Chain drowning prevention Strategies

lack of knowledge, disregard or misjudgement of a hazard education and information

uninformed, unprotected or unrestricted access to a hazard

denial of access, improvement of infrastructure and/or provision of warnings

lack of supervision or surveillance provision of supervision

Inability to cope once in difficulty acquisition of survival skills

3*Source: international life Saving federation

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CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS iN 2009-10 NatioNal

65%14%

16%

5%

Coastal drowningOcean drowningUndeterminedCoastal death

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2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10

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Other/unknownBoating (inc. fishing)Watercraft (non-powered)Diving/snorkelingRock/cliff related

Swimming/wadingFishing (beach & rock)Attempting rescue

Coastal drowning deaths

%

Population ‘000*

Crude drowning rate per 100,000 p.a.

5 year average

Qld 15 18% 4473 0.34 0.21

NSw 39 48% 7191.5 0.54 0.53

vic 13 16% 5496.4 0.24 0.25

tas 3 4% 505.4 0.59 0.88

Sa 2 2% 1633.9 0.12 0.39

wa 9 11% 2270.3 0.40 0.49

Nt 1 1% 227.7 0.44 0.46

Total 82 100% 21798.2 0.38 0.38

graph 1

National incident summary

there were 82 coastal drowning deaths, 17 coastal deaths, 6 ocean drowning deaths and 20 undetermined incidents in 2009/10. of the 82 coastal drowning deaths, 39 (48%) occurred in NSw, 15 (18%) in Queensland, 13 (16%) in victoria, 9 (11%) in wa, 3 (4%) in tasmania, 2 (2%) in Sa and 1 (1%) in the Nt.

graph 2 Coastal drowning death rate per 100,000 population

the crude drowning rates (death rate per 100,000 population) for NSw, victoria, wa and the Nt are consistent with the 5-year average. the rate for Queensland was above average in 2010 and the rate for Tasmania and SA fell significantly.

graph 3 five year trend of coastal drowning deaths

82 coastal drowning deaths is below the 5-year average of 88, which is a welcome trend- reversal from the previous two years.

graph 4 Coastal drowning deaths by activity

Swimming/wading remains the activity attributed to the highest number of coastal drowning deaths with 26 (32%). Rock fishing and boating continue to be over-represented, with both activities linked to fishing.

*Source: aBS, dec 2009

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graph 7 Coastal drowning deaths by month

december to february saw the most fatalities with 27 (33%): 14 occurred during the month of january alone- reflective of higher rates of coastal usage. a spike in drowning deaths during May can be attributed to nine rock fishing related drowning deaths in NSw, including a mass drowning incident at Catherine hill Bay where 5 people died.

graph 8 Coastal drowning deaths by time

the time of day with the highest incidence of fatal coastal drowning deaths remains mid-afternoon between 4pm-5pm, accounting for 13 (16%) coastal drowning deaths. the weekend saw the most incidents with 16 (20%) on Saturday and 17 (21%) on Sunday, reflective of greater coastal usage.

graph 5Coastal drowning death victims by gender

Males continue to dominate the fatality figures representing 80% (66) of coastal drowning death victims.

graph 6 Coastal drowning deaths by age group

the age category most represented was the 40- 49 years bracket, with 17 (21%) coastal drowning deaths. the 60-69 year bracket attributed 13 (16%) incidents. Both categories have been on an upward trend in the past two years.

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4%

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16%

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Open oceanOther/unknownRocks/cliff

BeachLakeMarina/jetty

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15%7%

49%

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Less than 10kmUnknown

10km - 50kmGreater than 50kmInternational

graph 9 location of coastal drowning death

43 (52%) coastal drowning deaths occurred at a beach location, with a further 13 (16%) occurring further offshore. 35 (43%) incidents occurred less than 1km from a lifesaving service.

graph 10drowning victim’s residence to drowning location

40 (49%) drowned over 50km from their place of residence, indicating unfamiliarity of local conditions may lead to problems. Additionally five (6%) victims were confirmed as being international tourists and 26 (32%) as having foreign ethnicity.

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CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS iN 2009-10 New South waleS

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3%

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36%

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Fishing (beach & rock)Attempting rescue

Diving/snorkelingRock/cliff relatedSwimming/wading

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there were 39 coastal drowning deaths in NSw, down from 46 in 08/09 and slightly above the 5-year average of 38.

graph 12 Coastal drowning deaths by age groups

the age category most represented was the 40-49 year bracket with 10 (26%), closely followed by the 20-29 and 60-69 year bracket with nine (23%) each.


14 drowning deaths (36%) occurred when swimming and wading was the activity conducted beforehand, with rock and beach fishing attributing 13 (33%).

graph 14Coastal drowning deaths by time

Mid afternoon between 4pm-5pm was when the most number of drowning deaths occurred with seven (18%), followed by 12pm-1pm and 1pm- 2pm with four (10%) each.

8

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BeachLake

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InternationalLess than 10kmUnknown

10km - 50kmGreater than 50km

CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS iN 2009-10 New South waleS


20 (51%) incidents occurred on beaches and 12 (31%) in rock and cliff areas. 23 (59%) incidents occurred less than 1km from a lifesaving service but from those, 14 were not in a directly supervised area, and a further seven were outside the regular lifesaving service periods.

graph 16 drowning victim’s residence to drowning location

25 (64%) victims drowned over 50km from their place of residence, and two or more were international tourists. while 23 (59%) victims resided between 10km-50km from the coastline.

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CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS iN 2009-10 QueeNSlaNd

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Boating (inc. fishing)Watercraft (non-powered)

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there were 15 coastal drowning deaths, up from seven in 08/09 and above the five-year average of 11. Queensland represents 18% of the national coastal drowning death toll of 82.

graph 18Coastal drowning deaths by age groups

the age category most represented was the 30-39 year bracket (27%), closely followed by the 60-69 year bracket (20%). Males continue to dominate the fatality data with 11 (73%).


the activity of swimming and wading, attributed to five (33%) coastal drowning deaths, compared to diving and snorkelling that represented 57% of coastal drowning deaths in 08/09.

graph 20Coastal drowning deaths by time

Most drowning deaths occurred in the middle of the day, with two incidents each hour between 10am - 2pm. four (27%) drowning deaths occurred in january during the peak summer period.

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CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS iN 2009-10 QueeNSlaNd

27%

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Nine (60%) coastal drowning deaths occurred on beaches. eight (53%) of these incidents occurred less than 1km from a lifesaving service, but seven (47%) occurred away from a directly supervised location.


four (27%) victims drowned over 50km from their place of residence, with two more confirmed as international tourists. Six (43%) victims actually resided less than 10km from the coastline and four (27%) drowned less than 10km from home.

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the gold Coast continues to be a popular tourist hub and the local population is growing rapidly. as a result, drowning deaths continue to occur in the area and over time the area has been identified as a national blackspot. Surf life Saving is working with local government authorities to inject additional resources and initiatives into the Gold Coast area to stifle this trend.

2009 saw the enhancement and development of Surf life Saving emergency response groups on the gold Coast, enabling these services to respond 24 hours/day, all year round to assist emergency services. other initiatives already in place include early morning patrols by support operations including Rescue water Craft prior to the commencement of regular patrols.

the gold Coast lifeguard Service has also increased their service provision to include extra patrols on the Seaway, Surfers paradise and palm Beach, and weekend RwC patrols from tallebudgera to Rainbow Bay. these measures and more will continue to minimise drowning deaths and contribute to a safer gold Coast.

CaSe Study - gold CoaSt, QueeNSlaNd

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CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS iN 2009-10 weSteRN auStRalia

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there were nine coastal drowning deaths, down from 14 in the prior year and below the five year average of 12. wa represents 11% of the national drowning death toll of 82.


the age category most represented was the 30- 39 year bracket with three (33%), followed closely by the 40-49 and 60-69 year brackets with two (22%) each. Males continue to dominate the statistics with seven (78%).


two (22%) coastal drowning deaths were attributed to swimming and wading, with one fatality also attributed to boating, diving/snorkelling and rock fishing.


the afternoon period between 4pm-5pm accounted for three (33%) drowning deaths with the remainder spread throughout the day. incidents were dispersed throughout the year.

12

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Greater than 50kmInternational

CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS iN 2009-10 weSteRN auStRalia


four (45%) coastal drowning deaths occurred on beaches, with a further three (23%) occurring around rock and cliff areas. Seven (78%) incidents occurred greater than 5km from a lifesaving service. only three (33%) incidents occurred during regular service periods.

graph 28drowning victim’s residence to drowning location

four (44%) victims drowned over 50km from home and one was confirmed to be an international tourist.

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Surf Life Saving, together with industry partners including the Australian National Sportfishing association and the australian Recreational and Sport fishing Confederation, has developed a national rock fishing safety strategy to address ongoing rock fishing fatalities on the Australian coastline.

this strategy addresses the cultural and language barriers encountered with high-risk demographics, and the safety attitudes of these demographics at high-risk locations.The campaign includes a comprehensive review of national rock fishing deaths and non-fatal injury; the launch of a new public safety advertising program; multi-lingual educational resources; community workshops and additional public rescue equipment installed at popular rock fishing locations. With rock fishing related deaths still on the rise, the need to expand this program is crucial.

for further information, please visit www.beachsafe.org.au

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CaSe Study - RoCk fiShiNgRock fishing coastal drowning deaths – 5 year trend

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CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS iN 2009-10 South auStRalia

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there were two coastal drowning deaths, down from nine in 08/09 and well below the five-year average of eight. South australia represents 3% of the national coastal drowning death toll of 82.


Both coastal drowning deaths were mature aged and each gender was represented.


Both coastal drowning deaths were attributed to swimming and wading.


Both coastal drowning deaths occurred in the late afternoon and early evening during the peak summer period.

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CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS iN 2009-10 viCtoRia

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there were 13 coastal drowning deaths, up from ten in 08/09 and equivalent to the five-year average of 13. victoria represents 16% of the national coastal drowning death toll of 82.


the age category most represented was the 40- 49 year bracket (31%), in line with the national trend. as with previous years, males continue to dominate the fatality statistics with 11 (85%).


Swimming and wading was the activity attributing the highest proportion of drowning deaths with four (31%). Boating related drowning deaths were almost as prevalent with three (23%).


the period between 1pm-2pm saw the most number of coastal drowning deaths with three (23%), the remainder were distributed throughout the day. five (21%) incidents occurred during the peak summer period from december and january.

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CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS iN 2009-10 viCtoRia


five (38%) coastal drowning deaths occurred on beaches, with a further three (23%) occurring both further offshore and around rock and cliff areas. Six (46%) incidents occurred greater than 5km from a lifesaving service. five (38%) incidents were away from a supervised location but during season and hours.


Six (46%) victims that drowned lived less than 10km from the coast and five (39%) drowned less than 10km from home. four (31%) victims drowned over 50km from their place of residence.

CaSe Study - SlS eMeRgeNCy ReSpoNSe SySteMSurf life Saving’s centralised emergency response system allows for greater integration with emergency service organisations by providing one number for tasking agencies - such as the police - to access coastal lifesaving services. this replaces the traditional method of agencies having to rely on localised and coastal lifesaving contacts during time-critical incidents.

this system continues to improve and has saved countless lives since its inception. during 2009/10 the service helped to save over 100 lives throughout australia.

A key benefit of this system is the callout capability of coastal lifesaving services, with a number of dedicated Duty Officers and Surfcom Bases on-call to respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service is now fully operational in Queensland, victoria, South australia and the Northern territory.

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CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS iN 2009-10 taSMaNia

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10

0

1

2

0-9

10-19

20-29

30-3940-49

50-59

60-69

70-79

80-8990-99

Unspecified

100%Boating (inc. fishing)

0

1

2

Midnight - 1am

1am - 2am

2am - 3am

3am - 4am

4am - 5am

5am - 6am

6am- 7am

7am - 8am

8am - 9am

9am - 10am

10am

- 11am

11am

- 12p

m12pm

- 1pm

1pm - 2pm

2pm - 3pm

3pm - 4pm

4pm - 5pm

5pm - 6pm

6pm - 7pm

7pm- 8p

m8p

m - 9pm

9pm - 10p

m10pm

- 11p

m11pm

- Midnight

Unknown


there were three coastal drowning deaths, down from seven in 08/09 and below the five year average of five. Tasmania represents 4% of the national drowning death toll.


two out of the three coastal drowning death victims were aged between 40-59 years. Males represented two out of three coastal drowning deaths.


Boating related activities were attributed to all of tasmania’s coastal drowning deaths with one occurring close to a beach and the other two occurring slightly further offshore.


two of the three coastal drowning deaths occurred between 5pm-6pm. two incidents occurred during the summer peak between december and february.

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CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS iN 2009-10 NoRtheRN teRRitoRy


there was one coastal drowning death in the Northern Territory in 2009/10. This is below the five year average of 1.4. details of the victim are provided.

0

1

2

3

2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10

> tiMe: 7:00pM - 8:00pM

> geNdeR: Male

> age: 10 - 19 yeaRS

> aCtivity: atteMptiNg ReSCue

> ReSideNCe to CoaStliNe & dRowNiNg loCatioN: Both leSS thaN 10kM

> geogRaphiC loCatioN: BeaCh

CaSe Study - Rip CuRReNtS

From 2004-2010, a tragic 118 people were confirmed drowned as a result of being caught in a rip current while swimming. Being able to identify a rip current and survive when caught in one is critical to reducing fatalities on australian beaches.

The first phase of a three-year campaign by Surf Life Saving was launched last summer. This included the launch of a dedicated rip current website, advertising across mainstream media, release of a television commercial and outdoor advertising. The campaign received strong post evaluation results in the first year, in particular a high recall rate among 18-34 year old males – the primary target market for the campaign.

to further this positive progress, SlS has partnered with the university of NSw to embark on a comprehensive rip current research program over the next three years. this will investigate the physical characteristics of rip currents using gpS technology, and examine human behaviour in rip currents. the results from this program will add to a catalogue of evidence-based research that underpins critical surf safety advice used by SlS and the lifesaving industry.

0

5

10

15

2020

24

15

25

30

2004 - 2005

2005 - 2006

2006 - 2007

2007 - 2008

2008 - 2009

2009 - 2010

22

17

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Rip current coastal drowning deaths – 5 year trend

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The data represented below details the rescues, preventative actions, first aid treatments and resuscitations performed by surf lifesavers, SlS support operations, alS lifeguards and local government employed lifeguards in 2009/10. These figures demonstrate the immense number of actions performed by coastal safety providers, and the challenge faced in keeping australia’s beaches safe. they also form an important part of evidence-based decision-making by Surf life Saving and all coastal safety providers.

Different definitions have been used by different providers in compiling these statistics and caution must therefore be used in their interpretation. further work is required by all lifesaving providers to improve data collection and validation, consistent with international definitions.

CoaStal lifeSaviNg aCtivity iN 09/10

preventatives NSw Qld viC Sa wa taS Nt 2010 National total

2009 National total

% Change

total lifeguards 662,852 365,118 25,264 2,990 21,666 1,500 18,285 1,097,675 1,113,347 -1%

total surf lifesavers 128,795 58,844 21,703 12,816 5,075 431 299 227,963 208,865 9%

total 791,647 423,962 46,967 15,806 26,741 1,931 18,584 1,325,638 1,322,212 0.3%

first aids NSw Qld viC Sa wa taS Nt 2010 National total

2009 National total

% Change

total lifeguards 38,051 39,941 1,152 215 2,591 171 74 82,195 47,230 74%

total surf lifesavers 13,766 15,136 3,219 561 2,474 179 19 35,354 21,783 62%

total 51,817 55,077 4,371 776 5,065 350 93 117,549 69,013 70%

Rescues NSw Qld viC Sa wa taS Nt 2010 National total

2009 National total

% Change

total lifeguards 8,131 2,795 294 27 655 4 296 12,202 14,841 18%

total surf lifesavers 4,616 3,131 464 245 865 95 4 9,420 10,621 -11%

total 12,747 5,926 758 272 1,520 99 300 21,622 25,462 15%

Resuscitations NSw Qld viC Sa wa taS Nt 2010 National total

2009 National total

% Change

total lifeguards 10 13 1 0 11 0 0 35 26 35%

total surf lifesavers 28 18 1 5 10 0 0 62 61 2%

total 38 31 2 5 21 0 0 97 87 11%

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tourist & Migrant drowning prevention in australia

with over 5.6 million tourist visitations1 to australia each year and over 543,000 permanent and temporary visas2 granted annually, large transient populations continually pass through popular tourist locations, unfamiliar with australia’s unique coastal hazards. the result is an over-representation of persons of a foreign ethnicity or birthplace in drowning data.

this high-risk group lacks the water safety knowledge, skills and awareness required to enjoy australian beaches safely. additional challenges often include limited english skills, limited or over-estimation of swimming ability, unfamiliarity with the coastal environment and in the case of tourists, short duration of stay and non-prioritisation of water safety during that time.

in 2009, SlSa commenced the development of an initiative to target both of these groups in collaboration with industry partners, tourism australia and multi-cultural marketing experts. this initiative aims to communicate essential beach safety messages to a diverse audience, who may be unfamiliar with beach and water safety practices. it provides a balance of informative messaging and imagery that can be used by water safety practitioners, tourism providers and facilitators of immigration.

the initiative will use distribution streams across government, transport, tourism and education, and will be targeted towards high-risk groups throughout their temporary and permanent stays. Streams used in 2010/11 will include airline pre-landing vision to reach over 2 million visitors, tourism conventions to achieve industry buy-in and on-beach use of resources by surf lifesavers and lifeguards.

for further information, please visit www.beachsafe.org.au

pReveNtioN of CoaStal dRowNiNg deathS

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2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

911

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National Blackspot Reduction program

in partnership with the department of health and ageing (doha), SlS commenced a project in 2008 aimed at eliminating the incidence of drowning in australia through targeting high-incident locations called ‘Blackspots’. after identifying these locations through the SlS total Service plan, SlS developed lifesaving strategies and plans to introduce interventions into these areas, including:

• Targeted infrastructure, resources and services as deemed appropriate at these locations;

• Expansion of SLS services beyond the traditional “between the red and yellow flags” patrolling methods, to include weekend and public holiday patrols; and

• Growth of services into areas of projected population increase and infrastructure development along the australian coastline.

in the coming 2010/11 season, service expansion will include:

- extension of early morning patrols on the gold Coast (Qld) and regular patrols into tallebudgera Creek (Qld).

- introduction of a second lifeguard on green island (Qld).

- introduction of Rescue water Craft (RwC) services in the areas of Coffs harbour, port Macquarie and Shoalhaven (NSw).

- installation of an emergency alert Beacon (eRB) on the Bass Coast (vic) and the introduction of an RwC service on the Bass Coast (vic).

- Rollout of a remote outpost patrol on the South australian South Coast, around goolwa and Middleton.

- provision of additional lifeguards at Cottesloe (wa) and installation of remote surveillance cameras in albany (wa).

- Continued development of an offshore Rescue Boat (oRB) service in darwin (Nt).

SlS would like to acknowledge the support of the doha and the State and territory Centres, branches and support services and local governments that have made these projects possible.

tourist and Migrant drownings - 5 year trend

References:

1.tourism australia, 2007 2.diaC, australian government, 2007

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ALS australian lifeguard Service.

AWSC australian water Safety Council – also australian water Safety Conference.

AWSS australian water Safety Strategy.

Blackspot an area with a high concentration of coastal/ ocean incidents and a high probability/risk of ongoing reoccurrence.

Coastal death a fatality arising from various circumstances occurring (e.g. heart attack, Suicide, Boat Collision) where the location of the death is coastal or in the ocean up to 1nm offshore.

Coastal drowning death where the location of the drowning is on the coast or in the ocean up to 1nm off-shore.

Crude drowning rate the crude drowning rate is a comparative rate of drowning to the size of the population in that area.

Drowning Respiratory impairment as a result of submersion/ immersion in liquid.

Drowning death a fatality arising from the process of respiratory impairment as a result of submersion/immersion in liquid.

Hotspot an area with a low/medium concentration of coastal/ ocean incidents combined with a high number of rescues/preventative actions.

HRS helicopter rescue service.

ILS international life Saving federation.

IRB Inflatable rescue boat or ‘rubber duckies’.

JRB jet rescue boat.

Lifeguard typically a paid employee at a beach or another aquatic environment whose job is to rescue people in danger of drowning or prevent them getting into that situation.

Lifesaving service a service which exists to provide aquatic safety services to the public.

NCIS National Coroners information System.

Ocean death a fatality arising from various circumstances occurring (e.g. heart attack, Suicide, Boat Collision) where the location of the death is in the ocean greater than 1nm offshore, but no greater than 12nm (the australian territorial waters limit).

Ocean drowning death where the location of the drowning is in the ocean greater than 1Nm offshore, but no greater than 12nm.

ORB offshore rescue boat.

Patrolled location a location supervised constantly or periodically by a lifesaving service.

Prevention where intervention by a lifesaving resource averts a person/s from getting into a potentially life threatening situation.

Rescue where intervention by a lifesaving resource removes a person/s from a life threatening or potentially life threatening situation.

RIB Rigid inflatable boat.

Rip current A moving current of water, sometimes strong or fast flowing. It will usually start near the shoreline and flow away from the beach. The flow velocity, direction, and circulation potential are constantly variable.

RWC Rescue water craft - sometimes called a personal water craft.

Rockfishing death a fatality arising from various circumstances occurring (e.g. wave motion, loss of footing) where the victim was participating in fishing activities immediately prior or during the incident.

Service Gap An area identified as having an inadequate level of resources to meet public safety demands.

Service season & hours vary between states due to climactic factors, but in the context of this report, the season is for the period july 2009 to june 2010.

Support Operations Rapid response rescue units, not tied to any one surf life saving club.

Surf lifesaver typically a volunteer at a beach or another aquatic environment whose job is to rescue people in danger of drowning or prevent them getting into that situation.

Total Service Plan an assessment of current and future lifesaving resources, national blackspots, hotspots and trends.

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thanks to:

Surf life Saving australia wishes to thank the following people and organisations for their contribution to the 2010 National Coastal Safety Report:

The Australian Government, principally the Department of Health and Ageing; Australian Lifeguard Service providing lifeguard services to local government NSW: tweed Shire, Salt Resorts, Byron Shire, Ballina Shire, Richmond valley, Clarence valley, Bellingen Shire, Nambucca Shire, kempsey Shire, greater taree City, great lakes, port Stephens, Munmorah State park, pittwater, National parks and wildlife Service, Shoalhaven City, eurobodalla Shire, Bega valley Shire, Qld: Burdekin Shire, Bundaberg, Cairns City, Cassowary Coast, fraser Coast, gladstone, gympie, hinchinbrook, Mackay, Morton Bay, Rockhampton, Redland, Southbank Corporation, townsville City, whitsunday Regional, Vic: east gippsland Shire, wellington Shire, parks victoria – wilsons Promontory, South Gippsland Shire; Bass Coast Shire, Mornington Peninsula Shire, Borough of Queenscliffe, City of greater geelong, Surf Coast Shire, Colac Shire, warrnambool City, Moyne Shire, SA holdfast Bay City, WA City of wanneroo, City of joondalup, town of Cambridge, town of Cottesloe, City of Rockingham, Shire of Busselton, City of geraldton – greenough, City of albany, Tas Clarence City, NT Darwin City; local government-operated lifeguard services – City of Stirling, gold Coast City Council, gosford City Council, kiama Municipal Council, lake Macquarie City Council, Manly Council, port Macquarie-hastings Council, Randwick City Council, Shire of augusta-Margaret River, Shire of Broome, Shire of denmark, Sunshine Coast Regional Council, Sutherland Shire Council, Warringah Council, Waverley Council, Wollongong City Council; SLSA partners including dhl, Telstra and Westpac; Surf Life Saving state centres, branches, clubs and support operations; SLSA expert advisors, including Barry Bruce (CSiRo Marine & atmospheric Research), john west (taronga Conservation Society australia, taronga Zoo), Royal life Saving Society australia.

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Surf life Saving receives valuable government funding to commence valuable initiatives and programs. however, we rely on the generosity of the community and corporate support to ensure they continue.

to help Surf life Saving, please donate at www.sls.com.au

for more information on this report

Surf Life Saving Australia www.sls.com.au+61 2 9300 4000

To contact a specific State Centre

Surf life Saving New South wales www.surflifesaving.com.au

Surf life Saving Northern territory www.lifesavingnt.com.au

Surf life Saving Queensland www.lifesaving.com.au

Surf life Saving South australia www.surfrescue.com.au

Surf life Saving tasmania www.slst.asn.au

life Saving victoria www.lifesavingvictoria.com.au

Surf life Saving western australia www.mybeach.com.au

australian lifeguard Service www.lifeguards.com.au

for information on local government lifeguard services, please contact the relevant local government.

Documents

2009-10 National Coastal Safety Report