Patrols Explained & Who Can Patrol

Patrolling is the core function of a surf life saving club. Every patrol hour served at Trigg Island Beach directly helps keep the community safe. The club holds a Patrol Contract with the City of Stirling that sets its patrol obligations and minimum service levels — the patrol season generally runs from October to the end of March, with exact dates confirmed each year by the Director of Lifesaving.

Requirements to patrol

Before you can patrol, you need to meet every one of these requirements:

• Be a current financial member, registered in the SLS Members Hub

• Hold a current SLSA award for your role (Surf Rescue Certificate for Cadets, Bronze Medallion for Active members)

• Be proficient — annual Skills Maintenance completed by 31 December

• Hold a current Working With Children Check where required

• Be allocated to a patrol team by the Director of Lifesaving

Patrol requirements for Active Members and Cadets

Once you hold an eligible award — a Surf Rescue Certificate for Cadets, or a Bronze Medallion for Active members — you'll be allocated to a Club patrol team by the Director of Lifesaving.

• You must complete the Club's full patrol roster for the season, unless you've been approved for an Individual Patrol Agreement (IPA) or hold an approved patrol exemption — see Individual Patrol Agreements & Exemptions

• If you can't attend a rostered patrol, you must arrange a substitute holding an equivalent qualification, accepted through the SLS Members Hub — see Can't Make a Patrol?

• If a patrol is missed, you must make up the hours by accepting another member's patrol swap request in the SLS Members Hub

This still applies if you're on an IPA: your IPA sets an alternative schedule, but you remain responsible for arranging an accepted substitute for any individual absence within that schedule, and failing to meet your IPA commitments is treated as patrol default in the same way.