During the 2023/24 season, we have been
focussing on building depth of skills across
patrols as well as continuing to improve the
number of Members per patrol. We have had
several Members leave for reasons like moving
away or the arrival of children. As their children
get old enough, we hope the parents will
return and eventually have their son/daughter
join them on patrol!
The efforts of the Education team training
new Bronzies have been amazing, with patrols
sitting at an average of 30 Members. With
each new Member trained in First Aid and
many Members progressing through higher
awards, we have started to build that depth
of skills.
In previous years, the number of IRB awards
has been extremely low, which resulted in
some IRB Members having to do multiple
patrols. If we fast forward to this season,
under the leadership of Ronny Krite, we have
managed to train ten new IRB Drivers and 38
new IRB Crew. This brings our total to 34 IRB
Drivers and 94 IRB Crew. Four years ago we
had sixteen drivers and 39 crew.
This year brought changes to our Lifesaving
Leadership team. Geoff Sumner took on the
role of Captain of Lifesaving, bringing a wealth
of experience to guide our Patrol Captains.
Laura Manuel transitioned into the role of
Lifesaving Operations Manager, succeeding
Emily Manchee, who took the role of Radio
Officer. Steffi Herdeg joined as the First Aid
Officer, a big call out for Steffi who comes
over to patrol in Bondi during her summer
holidays from Germany, she did an amazing
job bringing the standard of our First Aid
resources to a new high bar. We are also
bidding farewell to Alex MacLaughlin, who
has been the IRB Captain for many years
and has been pivotal in driving change and
excellence in this extremely important area for
Lifesaving. Thanks, Alex for all your efforts, you
will be missed!
The pre-season preparation for all lifesaving
equipment was again led by our amazing
Gear Steward, Michael Delaney. Michael’s
dedication to ensuring all the gear is in the
best condition continues all year. Once again,
thanks, Michael.
This year, IRB and Radios were the focus for
physical gear inspection, Alex MacLaughlin
and the IRB team led the preparation. A
big focus on the IRB Motor Maintenance
was led by Nixy Krite, including many of the
team that had an interest in understanding
the maintenance process. The IRB Motor
Masterclass was an important initiative that
brought the level of IRB Motor reliability to a
new high, resulting in reduced motor failure
and ultimately improved responsiveness
and safety.
Our season officially commenced on 23rd
September 2023 and finished on the weekend
after Anzac Day 2024. Our lifesaving statistics
this year were higher than last, with 377
rescues and 14,780 preventative actions this
season. Our efforts to support other Clubs,
especially through Destination Patrols at
Pacific Palms and in the Illawarra region, have
shown our commitment to lifesaving beyond
our beach.
This season, our commitment to inclusivity
and skills development continued through
our annual Pink Patrol initiative. This standout
event brought together 90 women from
sixteen different Clubs, fostering a supportive
environment for enhancing lifesaving skills
and reinforcing our dedication to female
empowerment within the surf lifesaving
community. The event was closely tied to an
IRB Crew course, culminating in an assessment
on the morning of the Pink Patrol, which not
only boosted female participation but also
skill levels.
Our focus on the wellbeing of our Members
took a formal shape with the introduction of
the Mental Health Patrol. This initiative, driven
by Gareth “Chop” Robinson, was designed to
underscore the importance of mental health in
a demanding and often stressful environment.
It aimed to equip our Patrol Captains with
the tools needed to support their teams
effectively, promoting resilience and positive
mental health practices. The inaugural
Mental Health Patrol served as a platform for
awareness, discussion and action, helping
to cultivate an environment where mental
wellbeing is recognised as a crucial part of our
lifesaving success.
On the Patrol Captain front, we welcomed our
youngest female Patrol Captain, Alexandra
Schacht to Meagher Patrol. Alex has been a
long-running member of Bondi and Meagher
Patrol. This is an amazing achievement and
well deserved.
Another amazing season, once again a
big thanks to all of the Members and the
volunteers who have kept beachgoers on our
beach safe.
Again I must thank the Lifesaving Leadership
team - Geoff Sumner (Captain of Lifesaving),
Laura Manuel (Lifesaving Operations
Manager), Michael Delaney (Gear Steward),
Steffi Herdeg (First Aid Officer), Alex
MacLaughlin (IRB Captain), Emily Manchee
(Radio Officer) and Jacob Ezrakhovich
(Destination Patrols). Without their dedication
and contributions, we would not be able
to be operational and compliant as a
lifesaving team.
Simon Smith
Director of Lifesaving
LIFESAVING
REPORT
23
117TH ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT 2023/24