5. Patrols & Lifesaving

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.

The award you hold determines the role you can perform on patrol. Each patrol is led by a Patrol Captain, supported by the team below.

Patrol Captain's authority

During patrol, the Patrol Captain has full operational authority over all members and activities in the patrolling area. Every member must follow the Patrol Captain's (or Vice Captain's) lawful and reasonable directions — this authority is non-negotiable during a patrol, and any disagreement or concern is raised afterwards through the appropriate channel, not on the spot.

The patrol roster for the season is confirmed by 1 October and published in the SLS Members Hub, where you can also check your current patrol hours at any time (Patrols > Patrol Roster). You're responsible for knowing your patrol dates and committing to your schedule.

Sign on and sign off

Signing on confirms who's on the beach, and it's the only way your hours are counted. Arrive ready for duty before the patrol starts (your Patrol Captain will confirm arrival times), sign on using the club's approved patrol recording system, check your equipment and radio with the Patrol Captain, and sign off before you leave at the end of your shift.

Life happens — the key is to give as much notice as possible and arrange a substitute through the SLS Members Hub. When another qualified, proficient member accepts your swap, your obligation for that patrol is met and no make-up hours are needed. If no substitute is found, the missed patrol is recorded as a deficit (informally, you'd say you're "hours down").

Requesting a substitute

1. Log in to the SLS Members Hub at hub.sls.com.au
2. Go to Patrols > Patrol Roster to see your allocated patrols
3. Find the date you can't attend
4. Select "I need a substitute" — the listing updates to show it as requesting a substitute

Raising the request in the Hub is the first step — for anything less than 48 hours' notice, also contact your Patrol Captain directly and, if it's urgent, other patrol members too (see the notification table below).

Accepting someone else's patrol

1. Log in to the SLS Members Hub
2. Go to Patrols > Patrol Swap
3. Scroll to the list of patrols other members have flagged as needing a substitute
4. Find one you're eligible and available for, and select "I can do this"
5. Confirm when prompted — this accepts the substitution and updates both rosters

Making up hours

If you're hours down, you can make up the deficit by accepting a future-dated swap in the Hub (this restores your entitlements straight away), covering someone else's patrol as a substitute, or completing a patrol the Director of Lifesaving has marked as eligible for make-up.

A patrol deficit builds up in two ways: hours deficit from partial absences (late arrival or early departure), or a missed patrol — a fully missed rostered patrol without an accepted substitute. Both are tracked, and consequences apply automatically unless you've accepted a patrol swap (including a future-dated one) or hold an approved exemption.

Entitlements are restored once you accept a patrol swap in the Hub, pending completion of that patrol. These are club consequences and sit alongside — not instead of — SLSA's separate competition eligibility rules; see Surf Sports & Competition.

Individual Patrol Agreements (IPA)

An IPA is a formal, documented arrangement that changes how you meet your patrol obligation — not a reduction of it. You still serve the same total hours as other members of your category, just on a different schedule. IPAs may be available where you genuinely can't attend at least 50% of the standard roster due to FIFO or irregular work rosters, employment commitments outside your control, or other exceptional, ongoing circumstances approved by the Board. They're not available for lifestyle preferences, routine scheduling conflicts, members already in deficit, or short-term situations (use a patrol swap instead).

To apply, submit a written application to the Director of Lifesaving explaining your circumstances and proposed arrangement. If approved, the IPA is documented, signed by both parties, and reviewed at least annually — it doesn't automatically renew. If declined, you can request a review by the Board, whose determination is final.

Patrol exemptions

A patrol exemption is temporary or seasonal relief from patrol obligations, for situations that genuinely can't be managed through a patrol swap or an IPA — injury or illness, pregnancy, military or emergency service deployment, extended travel or work away from Perth, or other exceptional circumstances the Board approves.

Fitness for duty

You must present for patrol ready and capable of performing your assigned duties. You must not patrol if you're under the influence of alcohol or any impairing substance, suffering an injury or illness that prevents you safely performing your duties, or in a state that impairs your judgement or ability to respond to an emergency. If you're unwell, injured or otherwise unfit, notify your Patrol Captain as early as possible so cover can be arranged.

Where illness or injury strikes with no reasonable opportunity to arrange a substitute, your Patrol Captain can excuse you from that patrol — it won't count as a deficit. If you're likely to be unable to patrol for an extended period, consider applying for a patrol exemption.

Conduct on patrol

• Follow the SLSA Code of Conduct and the club's Membership Policy at all times
• Be professional and courteous with the public, fellow patrol members, and other services (City of Stirling Lifeguards, WA Police, the Surf Rescue Helicopter crew)
• Don't use your personal phone for non-emergency purposes during active patrol hours, unless the Patrol Captain authorises it
• Stay vigilant and alert — patrolling requires sustained attention and readiness to respond
• Don't consume alcohol or any impairing substance during patrol hours or in the patrol area

Conduct that puts the public, fellow members, or the club's reputation at risk is taken seriously — see Patrol Deficit & Consequences and Complaints, Grievances & Discipline.

All incidents — rescues, first aid treatments, preventive actions, near-misses and injuries to members or the public — must be reported through the SLSA incident reporting system, ideally before or immediately after sign-off. Accurate, timely reporting creates an official record of the club's service, supports insurance requirements, and is a requirement of the Patrol Contract with the City of Stirling.

Equipment

Use equipment only for its intended purpose and in line with SLSA training and club procedures. Report any damage, loss or malfunction to the Patrol Captain immediately, return everything to its correct storage location in serviceable condition at the end of each patrol, and don't use or modify club equipment without the Patrol Captain's authority. Vehicle operators (ATV/SSV, IRB) must hold the relevant SLSA award and a current driver's licence for land vehicles.

Patrol terms glossary

No Club activity in or near the water — Nippers, training, Surf Sports, even patrol support activities — can go ahead without water safety in place. It's a core part of how Trigg Island SLSC keeps everyone safe, and it relies entirely on volunteers.

We're always looking for volunteers

Water safety depends on members stepping up — the Club is always looking for more volunteers to help. If you hold a Surf Rescue Certificate or Bronze Medallion, you're qualified to help provide water safety for training and other activities, beyond your own patrol commitments.

Volunteering via PatrolMate

Trigg Island SLSC uses PatrolMate, an online app, for members to volunteer for water safety and other Club helper roles. It's the easiest way to see what help is needed and put your hand up.

The basics of how water safety works

Water safety at Trigg Island follows the SLSA Water Safety Procedure (Policy 1.01A). The full detail is technical, but the general principles are:

• Every activity has a Water Safety Supervisor — a Bronze Medallion holder who leads the water safety team, assesses the risk before and during the activity, and stays on the beach coordinating the response
• They're supported by Water Safety Personnel — members holding a Surf Rescue Certificate or Bronze Medallion, positioned on the beach or in the water as directed
• Before an activity starts, the Water Safety Supervisor completes a risk assessment and puts together a water safety plan — covering conditions, numbers, the team, and what to do in an emergency
• Minimum supervision ratios apply, based on conditions and how experienced the participants are — riskier conditions or larger groups need more water safety cover, and some conditions mean an activity simply can't go ahead
• Everyone providing water safety wears identifiable high-vis gear, and rescue equipment must be on hand and ready to use

Getting involved

If you'd like to help with water safety — for Nippers, Youth, Surf Sports training or otherwise — register your interest via PatrolMate, or speak to the Director of Lifesaving.