Coastal Safety Brief - Surfing & Watercraft 2023

COASTAL SAFETY BRIEF

SURFING & WATERCRAFT

SURF LIFE SAVING AUSTRALIA

SURFING & WATERCRAFT SNAPSHOT

2012-22 : 10-YEAR REVIEW

ANALYSIS

Surfing & Watercraft is ranked fourth in SLSA’s National Safety Agenda Issues. Both popular coastal activities, but not without risk, representing 15 deaths annually with three in five due to drowning.

154 SURFING & WATERCRAFT DEATHS

0.06 AVERAGE RATE /100,000

60% DUE TO DROWNING

DEATHS

NCSS 2022: AWARENESS & BEHAVIOURS

SURFING WATERCRAFT

1.2M SURFERS

1.6M

WATERCRAFT USERS

KEY DEMOGRAPHICS

84% BEACH

12% SURFERS ARE WEAK SWIMMERS

42% WATERCRAFT USERS ALWAYS WEAR A LIFEJACKET

58% SURFBOARD

98% MALE

0 23 2 39 11 5

(%)

4 in 10

SURF AT A PATROLLED BEACH DURING PATROL HOURS

20

DROWNING & FATALITY

15 AVERAGE DEATHS PER YEAR

CAUSAL FACTORS

3 in 10

WATERCRAFT USERS CAN’T SWIM 50M IN THE OCEAN

63% MEDICAL & INJURY

34% 55-64 YEAR OLDS

12% ALCOHOL & DRUGS

13% RIP-RELATED

Surfing & watercraft are among the most popular recreational activities within Australia. Approximately 6% of the Australian adult population participate in surfing or bodyboarding, while an additional 8% use other types of watercraft*. Participation in these activities is generally considered to be safe, particularly compared to other coastal activities, they are not without risk, and tragically, injuries and fatal incidents do occur. In this brief, we examine mortality trends alongside the hazard perception and safety practices among surfing & watercraft participants. These analyses facilitate a deeper understanding of associated risks and provide guidance and education on how to participate safely.

Since 2012, surfing & bodyboarding have recorded 110 deaths, with a further 44 while using other watercraft - 60% of which were due to drowning. While the greatest proportion of incidents were recorded within New South Wales (39%, n=60), Tasmania was found to have the highest mortality rate of any state (1.50/100,000 pop.). Males accounted for nearly all incidents (98%, n=151), with 34% occurring among those aged 55-64 years old (n=51). Medical conditions were a major causal factor in both surfing & bodyboarding

INTRODUCTION

and watercraft fatal incidents (38%, n=42, and 43%, n=19 respectively), however, injuries were more prevalent in surfing & bodyboarding deaths (29%, n=32 vs. 16%, n=7). Drugs were detected in 13% of surfing & bodyboard deaths (n=14), compared to 5% of watercraft deaths (n=2). Rip currents were also a contributing factor in at least 15% of surfing & bodyboard deaths (n=16, rip current involvement remains unknown in 23% of cases). Surfers often use rip currents to paddle out beyond breaking waves. While accepted as common practice, this research highlights that this behaviour is not free from risk, and surfers should be aware that this coastal hazard still carries a level of danger, even when using a board.

Among watercraft users, bad weather conditions contributed to 11% of deaths. Importantly, lifejackets were not used in at least 41% of fatal incidents (n=18). This number is likely to be higher as the use of lifejackets remains unknown in 36% of cases (n=16).

Almost two in three deaths occurred greater than 1km away from a Surf Life Saving service (63%, n=105). This is reflected in the number of rescue attempts performed by a member of the public or a family member/friend (49%, n=76 and 14%, n=21 respectively). While it is always

advised for coastal activity participants to recreate in patrolled locations, it is recognised that this is not always possible. When recreating at an unpatrolled location it is recommended that individuals never go alone, be aware of where emergency response equipment is located (i.e. emergency response beacon, defibrillator, first aid kit, shark attack kit) and ensure that you carry a phone/radio or Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) with you to be able to call for help. It is also recommended that all individuals who participate in surfing & watercraft activities engage in programs that deliver aquatic environment incident response training and basic first aid training.

One in two surfers & bodyboarders (45%, n=50) and one in three watercraft users (34%, n=15) lived locally to the incident location. This is likely due to a greater frequency of visitation to local surf/ paddling spots, but also potentially due to locals tending to more frequently ignore safety information and warnings regarding dangerous surf conditions. This highlights the need for greater collaboration with peak sporting bodies and local paddling/surfing clubs to ensure that safety messaging is aligned with the best available evidence and is communicated through trusted, local sources. There is also a need to expand the distribution of real-time water safety messaging to frequented online platforms such as the BeachSafe, BoM and Surfline. There are significant benefits that come from engaging with and recreating within coastal environments. Ensuring people can do so safely requires collaborative efforts from legislative bodies, water safety authorities, and community groups to design, implement, and communicate water safety information and strategies. It also requires action at the individual level, to both follow best safety practices and to look out for the safety of family, friends, and people in the broader community.

*Other watercraft is inclusive of kayak, stand-up paddleboard, surf ski, outrigger/canoe, and surfboats.

154 DEATHS 98% MALE 34% 55-64 YEAR OLDS

2012-22 : 10-YEAR

Adelaide

Sydney

Canberra

Melbourne

Brisbane

Hobart

KEY DEMOGRAPHICS

15

DEATHS/YEAR

SURFING & WATERCRAFT DEATH TRENDS

A total of 154 surfing & watercraft deaths were recorded in Australia between 2012/13 and 2021/22, an average of 15 deaths per year (0.06/100,000 pop.). The highest number of deaths were recorded in 2020/21 (n=21, 0.08/100,000 pop.), while 2017/18 recorded the lowest number of deaths (n=7, 0.03/100,000 pop.). Most decedents were surfing or bodyboarding (71%, n=110), while 29% were using other watercraft (n=44).

60% DUE TO DROWNING

DROWNING VS. FATALITY

Drowning was the primary cause of death in 60% of incidents (n=93), while 40% were classified as coastal fatalities (n=61).

DEATHS BY STATE

Overall, 71% of deaths occurred while surfing & bodyboarding (n=110), while the remaining 29% were using other watercraft (n=44). Two in five incidents occurred in New South Wales (39%, n=60), most of which were surfing & bodyboarding (86%, n=52). A further 23% occurred in Western Australia (n=35), 20% in Queensland (n=31), and 11% in Victoria (n=17). No surfing or watercraft deaths were recorded in the Northern Territory during the 2012-22 period.

WHO

AGE & GENDER

The greatest proportion of surfing & watercraft deaths were recorded among 60-64 year olds (19%, n=30). This age bracket also had the highest age-specific mortality rate (0.23/100,000 pop.). Males accounted for 98% of all deaths (n=0.12/100,000 men) and were 51 times more likely to die in surfing & watercraft incidents than females.

INCIDENT LOCATION DISTANCE FROM PLACE OF RESIDENCE

Two in three decedents were local to the incident location (42%, n=65), while 23% were intrastate visitors (n=35) and 22% nearby residents (n=34).

BIRTH CONTINENT

Birth continent is known for 89% of deaths (n=137). Of these, 79% were Australianborn (n=108), 10% born in Europe (n=14), and 5% born in Asia (n=7).

SURFING & WATERCRAFT

2012-22 : CAUSAL ANALYSIS

84% BEACH

INCIDENT LOCATION CATEGORY

Beaches are the leading location for surfing & watercraft deaths (84%, n=130), followed by offshore locations (6%, n=10).

INCIDENT DISTANCE FROM A SURF LIFE SAVING SERVICE

Two in three deaths occurred greater than 1km away from a Surf Life Saving service (63%, n=97).

REMOTENESS CLASSIFICATION OF INCIDENT LOCATIONS

Most deaths occurred in major cities (38%, n=58), followed by inner-regional areas (37%, n=57).

INCIDENT MONTH

Most surfing & watercraft deaths were recorded in Autumn (30%, n=46), followed by spring (27%, n=42). By month, April has recorded the highest number (11%, n=17).

INCIDENT TIME

Surfing & watercraft deaths predominantly occur during the day with 53% recorded in the morning (6am-12pm, n=80), and the greatest density of incidents occurred between 10am-12pm (24%, n=36).

3 IN 5 DECEDENTS WERE USING A SURFBOARD

DAY OF THE WEEK

Two in five surfing & watercraft deaths occurred on a weekend day (41%, n=63).

CRAFT TYPE

Three in five deaths were surfboard-related (58%, n=90), followed equally by kayaks and bodyboards (13%, n=20 each).

PARTICIPATION PROFILE

SURFING PARTICIPATION BY STATE

1.2M SURFERS (6% OF POPULATION)

600K FREQUENT SURFERS (AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH)

1.7 HOURS PER SURFING SESSION

63% MALE

PARTICIPATION BY AGE

Participation in surfing decreases by age, with 17% of Australian adults aged 16-24 years surfing regularly compared to only 2% of Australians aged 70+years.

PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCED ENOUGH TO TAKE RISK BY AGE

Surfers of all ages are fairly consistent when considering that they are experienced enough to take risk, in spite of one in three being beginners (see figure following page).

PARTICIPATION BY CRAFT TYPE

Surfboards are the most popular choice of craft with one in two choosing this method of surfing, whilst 11% use surfboards and bodyboards equally.

LOCATION OF CHOICE

Two-thirds of all surfers choose to surf at patrolled beaches, with only one in ten surfing at reef locations.

1 in 4

AVERAGE SWIMMERS

PARTICIPANTS SELF-RATED EXPERTISE LEVEL

More than half of all surfers rate themselves as having an intermediate level of expertise with only 15% rating themselves as advanced.

SWIMMING ABILITY IN THE OCEAN

Three in five surfers rate their ocean swimming ability as competent/highly competent, whilst 12% rate themselves as weak swimmers in the ocean.

PARTICIPATION PROFILE

1.6M

PARTICIPATION BY AGE

Participation in watercraft decreases by age, with 21% of Australian adults aged 16-24 years paddling regularly, compared to only 2% of Australians aged 70+years.

500K

1.6 HOURS PER WATERCRAFT SESSION

47%

PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCED ENOUGH TO TAKE RISK BY AGE

Watercraft users between 16-49 years are fairly consistent when considering that they are experienced enough to take risk, while risk perception decreases for older participants.

WATERCRAFT PARTICIPATION BY STATE

LOCATION OF CHOICE

Almost three in ten watercraft users choose to recreate at patrolled beaches (28%), followed estuaries/river mouths/mangroves (26%) and bays or harbours (24%).

PARTICIPATION BY CRAFT TYPE

Kayaks (62%) and SUP’s (55%) are the most popular choice of craft, followed by surf skis (14%).

PARTICIPANTS SELF-RATED EXPERTISE LEVEL

More than half of all watercraft users rate themselves as having an intermediate level of expertise (55%), while only 12% rated themselves as advanced.

SWIMMING ABILITY IN THE OCEAN

One in five watercraft users rate their ocean swimming ability as highly competent (18%), while 20% rate themselves as weak swimmers or unable to swim in the ocean.

HAZARD PERCEPTION

VS. WATERCRAFT USERS

HAZARD PERCEPTION OF THE COAST BY ACTIVITY PARTICIPANTS

Hazard perception of the coast by surfers & watercraft users is fairly consistent, but fewer surfers consider the coast to be very hazardous compared to watercraft users.

HAZARD PERCEPTION BY SURFERS

Frequent surfers perceive surfing to be more hazardous when compared to occasional surfing participants.

HAZARD PERCEPTION BY WATERCRAFT USERS

Just over one-quarter of watercraft users, both frequent and occasional, rate watercraft as extremely or very dangerous. 53% of occasional participants rate watercraft use as somewhat hazardous compared to 39% of frequent participants.

ALCOHOL & ACTIVITIES

Four in five surfers always avoid alcohol before surfing compared to only two-thirds of watercraft users. 33% of watercraft users believe it is ok to consume at least one alcoholic drink while using watercraft on the water.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT USED BY SURFING

Three-quarters of surfers use leg ropes and 68% choose to wear a wetsuit. 16% use a shark deterrent device and just one in ten wear a helmet when surfing.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT USED BY WATERCRAFT USERS

The favoured items of safety equipment used or carried by watercraft participants are lifejackets/buoyancy aids (78%), followed by mobile phones (60%) and flares (21%). Just 7% carry a shark deterrent device.

1 IN 3 WATERCRAFT USERS THINK IT IS OK TO CONSUME ALCOHOLIC DRINKS BEFORE PADDLING

SAFETY INFORMATION

WHERE DO YOU SEEK SAFETY INFORMATION

Almost two-thirds of surfers and watercraft users seek their safety information online, followed by mobile applications. Less than 13% seek information via print media.

WHO DO YOU TURN TO FOR COASTAL SAFETY

INFORMATION

Two-thirds of surfers and watercraft users turn to lifeguards and surf lifesavers for coastal safety information followed by the Bureau of Meterology.

WHAT SAFETY MESSAGING ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH Surfers and watercraft users are most familiar with the SLIP! SLOP! SLAP! Campaign (81%) followed by swim between the red and yellow flags (74%).

TARGET AUDIENCE

SURFING & WATERCRAFT

TARGET DEMOGRAPHICS & BEHAVIOUR CHANGE

45-74

30-39 & 55-64

YEAR OLD SURFERS

YEAR OLD WATERCRAFT USERS

MALES LOCAL RESIDENTS

BEHAVIOURS OF CONCERN

2 in 3 30% 1 in 2 58%

Do not always check surf conditions before entering the water

DESIRED BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE

Check local surf conditions with a recognised authority, even if you are a local/familiar with the conditions

Of frequent surfers disregard beach closed signage and still enter the water (especially if local to the area)

Always wear a lifejacket and carry relevant safety equipment (as appropriate)

HOW TO REACH THE TARGET AUDIENCE

Of watercraft users don’t always wear a lifejacket/buoyancy aid

Do not always go with a buddy

TRUSTED AUTHORITIES TO DELIVER SAFETY ADVICE

Lifeguards/Surf lifesavers

Bureau of Meteorology/ Weatherzone

Paddle at patrolled locations and never operate a watercraft alone

Always avoid alcohol and drugs while surfing/bodyboarding or using a watercraft

Coast guards CoastalWatch/Surfline

SURFING & WATERCRAFT SAFETY

Stop. Look. Plan.

CHECK WEATHER. IS TODAY A PADDLING DAY?

CHECK THE TIDES AND OTHER WATER CONDITIONS

STOP LOOK PLAN

CHECK YOUR CRAFT

ENSURE THERE ARE LIFEJACKETS FOR EACH PERSON (IF APPROPRIATE)

ENSURE YOU HAVE PHONE/RADIO WHERE POSSIBLE

REMEMBER, ALCOHOL AND SURFING/ PADDLING DON’T MIX

LET SOMEONE KNOW WHERE YOU’RE PLANNING TO GO AND WHEN YOU PLAN TO BE BACK Find

BRING A BUDDY

REFERENCES

METHODOLOGY

The Coastal Safety Brief – Surfing & Watercraft contains information on Australian community behaviours and attitudes towards coastal activities and safety practices; coastal drowning deaths and other fatalities that have occurred along Australia’s coastline over the 10-year period of 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2022. Data Is from multiple sources and Is correct as of 1 December 2022. All care is taken to ensure the statistical information included within this report is correct. However, pending the outcome of ongoing coronial investigations and as SLS state/territory entities update their operational information, this data may be amended. Data in figures may not always add up to 100% due to rounding. Mortality rates were calculated using the number of deaths divided by the population (per head of 100,000 people) from Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Surf Life Saving Australia National Coastal Safety Report 2022

The Surf Life Saving Australia National Coastal Safety Report (NCSR) is published annually and contains information on Australian community behaviours and attitudes to the coast; SLS capability and membership capacity; rescues and emergency response; and coastal drowning deaths. The NCSR2022 presents statistics from the period of 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022. Trend analyses from all coastal deaths (drowning deaths and other fatalities) that have occurred between this period of time. For the report click here

Surf Life Saving Australia’s National Coastal Safety Survey

The annual Surf Life Saving Australia National Coastal Safety Survey (NCSS) collects information about community swimming ability, behaviours and attitudes to coastal safety, risk perceptions, safety strategies and rescues. The survey is conducted by OmniPoll Market Research and is run online each April among a nationally representative sample of approximately 3,050 respondents aged 16 years and older. The study is carried out in compliance with ISO 20252 - Market, Social and Opinion Research. To reflect the population distribution, survey results are postweighted (on age, gender, geographic strata and education) and projected to Australian Bureau of Statistics data. The data presented in the Coastal Safety Brief: Surfing & Watercraft 2023 has been derived from data extracted from the most recent survey (NCSS2022). Data illustrated in figures may not always add up to 100% due to rounding.

REFERENCES

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2022) Quarterly Population Estimates (ERP), by State/Territory, Sex and Age [Data Explorer beta TableBuilder], accessed 10 October 2022.

Surf Life Saving Australia (2022). National Coastal Safety Report 2022. SLSA: Sydney.

© 2023 Surf Life Saving Australia

This publication is copyright. Except as expressly provided in the Copyright Act 1968 and the Copyright Amendment Act 2006, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval systems or transmitted by any means (including electronic, mechanical, microcopying, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without prior permission from Surf Life Saving Australia.

For enquiries concerning reproduction, contact SLSA on: phone 02 9215 8000; email: info@slsa.asn.au

Every attempt has been made to trace and acknowledge copyright, but in some cases this may not have been possible. Surf Life Saving Australia apologises for any accidental infringements and would welcome any information to redress the situation.

Acknowledgements

SLSA wishes to thank: the Australian Government: Department of Health; National Coronial Information System: Jessica Bryan; Department of Justice and Community Safety; the Magistrates Court of Tasmania: Coronial Division; Omnipoll: Frederic Anne; SLS state centres, branches, clubs, support operations and ALS; Melissa Conchar: design; Shutterstock: cover image.

Suggested Citation

Lawes J, Cooper B, Kelly S & Daw S (2023) Coastal Safety Brief: Surfing & Watercraft. Surf Life Saving Australia: Sydney.

Actively patrolled area Includes main flagged patrolling area as well as areas adjacent to (up to 200m either side of flagged area) and any additional patrolling areas as outlined in the Clubs Patrol Operation Manual (POM) and Lifesaving Service Agreement (LSA).

Adult For the purpose of this report, adult refers to a person 16 years of age and over.

ALS Australian Lifeguard Service. Attempting a Rescue Trying to retrieve a person in distress and deliver them to a place of safety.

AWSC Australian Water Safety Council also Australian Water Safety Conference.

AWSS Australian Water Safety Strategy. Bay A body of water partially enclosed by land but with a wide mouth, affording access to the sea.

Beach A wave-deposited accumulation of sediment –usually sand, but ranging in size up to boulders, deposited between the upper swash limit and wave base.

Blackspot An area where incidents are concentrated and a high probability/risk of ongoing recurrence.

Boating Using either a powered vessel or sailing boat for recreation and/or fishing. Bystander A person who is present at an incident but not part of it initially.

Coastal Describes the foreshore, seabed, coastal water and air space above a large body of water (harbour/bay/inlet), including areas up to 3nm offshore and of which the landward boundary is the line of mean high water, except where that line crosses a river/ inlet, the landward boundary at that point shall be the point upstream that is calculated by multiplying the width of the river/inlet mouth by five. (Adopted from the Resource Management Amendment Act 1993 New Zealand).

COD Cause of death.

Crude drowning rate A comparative rate of mortality to the size of the population for a given area or activity.

Dangerous surf warning An alert issued by the Bureau of Meteorology indicating that surf conditions in an area are unsafe

GLOSSARY

for coastal activities. The warnings are calculated based on wave height, swell direction and swell period and must exceed the predetermined limitations to be in effect.

Drowning The process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/ immersion in liquid; outcomes are classified as death, morbidity and no morbidity.

Drowning death A fatal drowning incident arising from the process of respiratory impairment as a result of submersion/immersion in liquid.

Drugs A medicine or other substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced to the body. The category includes therapeutic, over-the-counter and illicit drugs.

Emergency response An action taken by an SLS entity in response to a call for assistance from an emergency management organisation.

Falls (trips/slips) Events that result in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or other lower level.

Fatality A fatal incident arising from circumstances other than drowning (eg. Medical condition, injury, self-harm, marine creature).

First Aid Assessments and interventions that can be performed by a bystander (or by the victim) with minimal to no equipment. Hazard A source of potential harm. ILS International Life Saving Federation. Incident Any unplanned event requiring lifesaving services intervention.

Inshore The coastal water area within 500m of the low tide area of the foreshore. Intentional fatality Any intentional incident, including homicide and self-harm related incidents.

International Describes an individual who is confirmed to reside overseas and/or is a temporary visitor to Australia.

IRB Inflatable rescue boat.

IRD Incident report database. A webbased portal used by SLS services to electronically record incident reports.

Jetty An artificial structure that projects

out into the water from land.

JRB Jet rescue boat.

Jump(ing) The activity of launching off a cliff, rock platform, pier, jetty. A.k.a tombstoning (UK/Europe/North America).

Kayak A small narrow boat, pointed at both ends, with a covering on top, which is moved by using a paddle.

Land-based Fishing The act of attempting to catch fish from anywhere except coastal rock platforms

Lifeguard An individual who undertakes patrols at a beach or another aquatic environment. He/she is typically a salaried member, qualified in public safety and aquatic rescue.

Lifejacket A buoyant or inflatable garment or device designed to keep a person afloat in water and increase their likelihood of survival.

Lifesaving Service A coordinated group that exists to provide aquatic safety services to the public. This includes Surf Life Saving Clubs, Lifeguards, SurfCom, RWCs, RIBs, JRBs, ORBs, Rescue Helicopters and 4WD units.

Local Government Area (LGA) Also known as local councils, LGAs include cities, towns, shires, municipalities or boroughs. Marina A man-made boat basin having sea walls or breakwaters and offering dockage and other services for water vessels.

Marine fauna Macro-organisms (mostly animals) that live within marine systems (e.g., fish species including sharks and rays, estuarine crocodiles, blue-ringed octopus, jellyfish species, sea snakes, etc.).

Mean Wave Period The time it takes for two successive crests (one wavelength) to pass a specified point. The wave period is measured in seconds, e.g. one wave every 6 seconds. The mean is the average wave period.

Medical For the purpose of this report, medical refers to an aquatic incident that was caused by a medical episode, e.g. a heart attack or epileptic seizure.

Modal Wave Height The vertical

difference in elevation between the wave crest and the adjacent wave trough. Modal means the middle or median value recorded. NCIS National Coronial Information System.

NCSS The National Coastal Safety Survey conducted annually to gather information about Australian coastal participation, swimming ability, risk perception, behaviours and attitudes to coastal safety. Non aquatic fatality Non-aquatic fatalities refer to non-drowning related incidents which have occurred at a coastal location but not in the water. Non aquatic transport Any form of transport that is not meant for the water such as airplanes, bicycles, and motor vehicles.

Offshore Describes the coastal water area beyond the surf zone and inshore area from 500m to 200nm.

Ocean The seabed, water and air space above the water between 3nm and 12nm (the Australian Territorial Sea) offshore. ORB Offshore rescue boat.

Other An uncommon known activity not otherwise listed (e.g., paragliding, jogging). Patrol Service undertaken to monitor activities in/around an aquatic environment and respond accordingly through either preventative actions or rescue operations.

Patrol flags Red and yellow horizontally divided flags which are set after performing a risk assessment to determine the most suitable area for swimming. The flags identify a zone for swimming and bodyboarding within a patrolled location. Patrolled location A location supervised by a surf lifesaving service.

Patrol hours Time periods when flags are raised and beach is actively patrolled. Minimum lifesaving service times are determined at both the local level (clubs, branch/council) in conjunction with state SLS bodies.

Patrol season Incorporates lifesaving services provided on weekends and public holidays for a minimum duration as outlined in individual Lifesaving Service Agreements.

E.g. First day of Spring school holidays to the last Sunday of Autumn.

Preventative action Direct action taken to reduce or eliminate the probability of a specific rescue, first aid or other reportable incident from happening in the future.

PWC Personal water craft, also known as jet ski.

Rescue The retrieval of a person in distress, delivering them to a place of safety and the application of first aid and basic life support as may be required.

Resuscitation Prevention or restoration of life by establishing and maintaining a person’s airway, breathing and circulation.

RIB Rigid-hull inflatable boat.

Rip current A seaward flowing current of water moving through a surf zone.

River A natural stream of water flowing into an ocean, lake or other body of water. Rock/Cliff A rock platform that may or may not have a high steep face.

Rock Fishing The act of attempting to catch fish from a coastal rock platform . Rock shelf A section of rock above or below the water level that projects out from the coast.

RWC Rescue water craft.

Scuba Diving Swimming underwater with the aid of scuba equipment for recreational or commercial purposes.

Snorkelling Swimming with a snorkel and face mask. Includes freediving and spearfishing.

SurfCom SLS radio communications centre that assists in managing the communications of lifesaving operations and data collection.

Surfing The sport or pastime of riding a wave towards the shore while standing or lying on a surfboard.

Surf lifesaver An individual who undertakes patrols at a beach or other aquatic environment. They are typically a nonsalaried member qualified in public safety and aquatic rescue.

Surf Life Saving Club A SLS affiliated notfor-profit organisation that has volunteer members who provide coastal safety

services to the community.

Swimming Moving through water by moving the body or parts of the body.

Territorial seas The seaward limits of Australia’s maritime zones, from the coastline to 12nm from the low tide line.

Total Service Plan An assessment of current and future lifesaving resources, trends, national blackspots and coastal safety issues combined with evidencebased mitigation strategies to address these issues.

Toxicity

The degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances is toxic or poisonous to an organism. In the context of this report, toxicity refers to alcohol or drug use by a victim.

Unintentional fatality Deaths other than drowning deaths (such as medical incidents, injury, accidents, or marine creature), excluding homicide and self-harm related incidents.

Wading Walking through water while partially immersed.

Watercraft A piece of non-powered recreational equipment used in water. Examples include surfboards, stand-up paddle boards, bodyboards, windsurfers or kayaks.

Yacht A sailing boat equipped for cruising or racing.