Community is important to us at South Maroubra SLSC, and as a volunteer organisation we rely on community, sponsors and grants to purchase and look after our Lifesaving equipment. Like the donation recent made by Healthfix Health Club in North Sydney.
​
A recent surplus of high-quality rubber gym flooring at Healthfix when setting up their new Health Club, turned into a donation to our IRB section in order to protect our boats and motors as their being serviced. 

If you’re looking for some great health professionals we can’t recommend Health Fix enough! Be sure to check out their website for all their services healthfix.com.au

If you're interested in support us please get in touch with us at [email protected]

Bronze Medallion/SRC/ARTC
You should have by now received an email enrolling you in the online portion of the Bronze Medallion or SRC Skills Maintenance (Proficiency). This season in order to simplify Skills Maintenance in light of COVID 19, and limit the amount of time we need to spend at the club updating your skills, SLSA has created the online modules.

In order to complete the online portion you need log in to your online Members Area account at https://members.sls.com.au/. If you do not have an online account click the link in the yellow box on the members area page, and create an account following the instructions provided. The email sent to you by SLSA will have link to the online Skills Maintenance module. If you have any issues with accessing the modules please contact us on the email at the end of this article.

NOTE: Completion of the online module is MANDATORY in order to be proficient for the new season.

The practical parts of Skills Maintenance (r-s-r and rescues) will  be conducted on patrol this season. A trainer/endorsed delegate will attend one of your first patrols for the season to complete the practical components of the Bronze Medallion, SRC and ARTC awards (for the relevant awards you have).

For non-patrolling Members (Water Safety and Long services competitors)
We have booked in 2 dates for members who are on the water safety patrol, or those who are long service and compete but do not patrol.

Saturday 24 October
ARTC
9am - meet in Heritage room
Bronze Medallion/SRC
10am - meet grass area beach side of the club

Saturday 19 December
ARTC
8am - meet in Heritage room
Bronze Medallion/SRC
9am - meet grass area beach side of the club

NOTE: In order to ensure we can adhere to social distancing with the swims and rescues we will be taking groups to the beach in 15min intervals in groups of 10. 

IRB Drivers and Crew
IRB Drivers have been contacted by the IRB Coordinator for those sessons. IRBC will also be signed off based on patrol proficiency.

If you’re having any issues with the members area or completing your skills maintenance online module please get in touch with us at [email protected] and we'll be able to assist.

The 2020/21 Season  kicked off on Saturday 26 September and all teams are ready to go. Our gear passed gear inspection, and we’ve had all our pre-season meeting with great attendance.

Here is this season’s Lifesaving Committee:

Director of Lifesaving Services – Nicole Cooney
Assistant Director of Lifesaving Services – Ben Keenan-Smith
Education Coordinator – Michael Fernandez
Lifesaving Registrar – Codie Wem
IRB Coordinator Lifesaving – Laurie Golsby
Gear Steward – Ken Hudson (assisted by Scott Hobday)
U18s Coordinator – Maria Garay
Patrol Captains
 
The patrol teams and roster had been sent out to all members. You can also view the roster online.

There’s a bit to consider this season in light of COVID, and all Patrol Captains have been take through the extra precautions and change for the season. All members are able to access useful COVID documents on the SLSNSW Website.

Some key documents to check out are:
Lifesaving Information pack
COVID treatment guidelines
DRSABCD COVID Protocols
SLS Matrix for all activities
 
Skills Maintenance also needs to be done for the new season. This is where we make sure all your lifesaving skills are current. There are some changes this season with a great deal of the information covered online. If you haven’t already be sure to access the course online through eLearning in the Members Area. The practical sides of the Bronze, SRC, ARTC and Spinal will be covered on patrol. We will also run 2 sessions for non-patrolling members, see the website for more information on the dates.

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone on the beach soon! And if you haven’t renewed your membership yet be sure to do that ASAP. You can do in quickly and simple online in the Members Area.

Patrol Subs
If you’re looking for a sub this season the best place to try, besides your friends, is the South Maroubra Subs Facebook Group. You are required to get a sub when you can not make patrol, and you need to ensure the person who subs for you meets the same award requirements for the patrol. Once you’ve agreed on a sub be sure to make it official through your Members Area account

IRB Drivers WhatsApp group
We have created a WhatsApp group for all IRB Drivers to facilitate information and subs. If you’re a driver you should have been added by now, but if we’ve missed you off get in touch with us at [email protected]

Upcoming courses
With the season up and running it’s also time to kick off some new courses. Our Bronze Medallion and Surf Rescue Certificate Information Evening will be held on Tuesday October 6 at 6.30pm at the club. If you know anyone who is interested in becoming a lifesaver get them to come along, or email [email protected]

Also upcoming will be come other courses including an Advanced First Aid course, and Advanced Resuscitation course. Keep an eye out for those dates.

24 March 2020

Dear Members and Friends,

As you are aware operations and activities at your club South Maroubra have had to be reduced in
accordance with health and government increasing restrictions. Actions taken by the club to date have been formally published and distributed to all members via Surfguard emails, Facebook posts and stored on our website in the form of a SITUATION REPORT.

We have done this to ensure every one of our members from youngest to mature are kept aware of how the
club is responding to this developing Covid-19 crisis and status of the club.

Essentially, effective immediately all club storerooms, showers, gymnasium, socials, training, functions
have ceased with Surf Patrols restricted last weekend to surveillance after the beach was closed by Council.
This developing situation we as a club and society are confronting, is new to us, there is no blueprint or
manual in which we are operating, rather implementing all 3 levels of government decisions and doing what
we believe is right for the safety and security of our members and club.

On the evening, a further development occurred after a video conference where all Sydney Branch Club
Presidents decided unanimously to cease ALL beach based surf patrols effectively meaning for us the
2019/20 patrol season has prematurely ceased. We made this decision based on member safety, restriction of beach attendee numbers and the likelihood the next phase of restrictions will soon be implemented.

The next paragraph is a message from Nicole Cooney, our Director of Lifesaving Services:
“I would like to send my thanks to all patrolling members, patrol captains, trainers and section leaders who
have been supportive throughout the season. I thank you for all your hard work and commitment in ensuring
Maroubra Beach is a safe place to visit. While this is not the way we expected the season to end the key is
we are all safe and healthy. I look forward to seeing you all back in the new season in the red and yellow,
and I’m sure when we can socialise again the bar will be open for some celebratory drinks.”

Continuing on and with Nippers having finalised their season, all competition cancelled or postponed, social
events suspended and now surf patrols ending, I would like to take this opportunity to thank every single
person who has made this year such a memorable one. So much achieved so many happy nipper faces
each week, great people on patrol and regrettably a large SRC and Bronze training group that could not
complete their final 2 weeks of the course when going so well. To all those trainees we hope you stay
committed to complete the courses as soon as we are back on deck as you are our priority.

To the various leadership groups and, patrol members, its likely we will not be able to formally acknowledge
your efforts this season but rest assured when we are able too, we’ll put on one hell of a celebration when
kissing goodbye to the coronavirus.

Thank you to our loyal sponsors this year, we were in the final phase of organising sponsor events like we
were our Gold Members night. We will definitely finalise many of these things early next season as Nippers
will with their various age group and competition awards.

For your information our Caretakers Barry and Leslie will remain on site looking after the security of the club,
our Club Office will remain operational for as long as possible although likely access into the club will not be
possible so any enquiry for now can be made via email or phone with details previously published and on
SITREPs sent recently.

The Club Office bearers will still be working hard through this crisis, probably remotely, so we welcome any
enquiries via our office email address, plus we will be ramping up our Facebook Posts so be sure to join in
the conversation with a trip down memory lane ensuring we provide some entertainment, club history and
connectivity to each one of you.

Finally, I would ask all members to look out for your neighbours particularly the vulnerable who are not so
fortunate, lets try and lend a hand where we can and grow as a better and more giving society.

Be positive, stay fit and well, recognise how good we really do have it here in the lucky country and we’ll see
you as soon as we possibly can.

If any further developments occur, be sure we will advise you.

​Kind regards,
Paul ‘Stretch’ Fownes
Club Chairman/President

SLSS Circular
SLSNSW Media Release

The training calendar for the 2018/19 season is now available. If you're keen to gain new lifesaving skills please contact Mike for more information at [email protected]