LS10.1 SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) RESPONSIBILITIES

Section: LS10 SAR Operations Page: 3 of 4

Date: 20th September 2016

Only State Duty Officers (including SOC) shall undertake a tasking/notification role for lifesaving services (unless otherwise delegated to by the State Duty Officer).

Note: During regular patrol hours, SLSNSW SurfComs shall fulfil the communication function to emergency services (Fire, Ambulance, Police) to request support for lifesaving services.

Branch Duty Officer/ALS Lifeguard Supervisors

These roles deliver 3 key functions:

1. Local dissemination and coordination of services for emergency response (generally outside regular patrol times and/or to unpatrolled locations).

2. On-site liaison with Incident Controller (most commonly NSW Police).

3. On-site ‘command’ of own services/assets/personnel.

Lifesaving services which shall fall under the operational ‘command’ of the Branch Duty Officer if participating in a SAR incident in NSW include:

• SLSC patrols/callout teams.

• SLS RWCs.

• SLS ORB/JRBs.

• Surf Life Saving Aircraft

• SLS services responding from adjacent Branches.

• SLS service responding from SLSQ, LSV.

• Other SLS services (i.e visiting inter-state team).

Joint-Response Situations (volunteer and paid services)

Where both volunteer lifesaving services and ALS services are co-responding they shall initially fall under the operational command of their own Incident Commander (Branch Duty Officer, Lifeguard Supervisor) respectively, until such time a coordinated command structure is agreed between both services.

Where volunteer lifesaving services, ALS and Council services may be undertaking joint operations, command of their services shall fall to their own Patrol Captain, Branch Duty Officer, Lifeguard Supervisors respectively, until such time a coordinated command structure is agreed between all services (if appropriate).

SurfCom

SurfCom provides the support function to a SAR, including the combination of the following:

• Initial dissemination of information and tasking of SLS/ALS services to an emergency;

• Coordination of emergency service support;

• Upward and downward SITREPs to SLS/ALS and emergency services;

• Monitoring service response/status/welfare; and

• Maintaining data/communications records.

Only SLSNSW SurfComs and/or State Duty Officers (including SOC) shall undertake a coordination/ communications support role for lifesaving services over the SLSNSW radio network (unless otherwise delegated to by the State Duty Officer).