2007 Thailand Project Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Demonstration Surf Life Saving Carnival In Phuket, April 2008
What are you doing in April 2008?
Going to Aussies?
How about a trip to Phuket afterwards to compete in the first surf carnival to be held at Patong Beach..
Interested.... then read more about this great initative from Avoca Beach SLSC and SLSA, as they strive to introduce the concept of surf life saving skills to Phuket...
Thailand Competition Entry Form
Request for Equipment to help with the setting up the first life saving club in Phuket..
On 26 December 2004 a magnitude 9.3 earthquake struck the west coast of Sumatra. As a consequence a Tsunami occurred in the Indian Ocean devastating communities in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and affected many other countries along the Indian Ocean rim. Approximately 300,000 people were killed in the Tsunami; eight thousand in Thailand of which half were Thai nationals and the other half foreigners and tourists. The worst hit areas in Thailand included the province of Phuket and Phi Phi Island.
Kathy Glinsky a young woman from Sydney was one of the victims of the Boxing Day Tsunami. Kathy was on holidays visiting her sister and family on Phi Phi Island when the tidal wave hit, both she and her young niece, Sasha, lost their lives whilst walking on the beach close to their family’s business.
In memory of Kathy, her employer Australand, kindly donated a fully equipped surfboat to Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club. Prior to her death, Kathy had been organising with Tiffany Braund, a member of Avoca Beach Surf Club, to sponsor a new set of oars. After the tragedy, Australand felt it appropriate to substantially increase the donation to include a surfboat, trailer and oars.
The sweep of the “Kathy Glinsky” surfboat, John Mitchell, life member and keen supporter of surf life saving in the local community of Avoca Beach, is constantly reminded of the tragic circumstances that arose from the Boxing Day Tsunami when he takes his crews out for training and competition on the water. The loss of life that occurred on that fateful day and the ongoing drownings that continue to take lives in Thailand has inspired John and the Avoca Beach Surf Club to start a program to introduce surf awareness and the culture of surf life saving to the communities of Phuket and Phi Phi.
Alistair (Slim) Peebles, Life Member of Avoca Beach Surf Club kindly investigated the feasibility of taking the concept of surf life saving and surf awareness to Thailand and through his tireless efforts he secured a grant from the Australia-Thai Institute to assist members of the club to introduce, up-skill and train the Thai people in first aid, surf awareness and water safety.
In the Year of the Life Saver (2007), a dedicated team of twelve members of Avoca Beach Surf Lifesaving Club will leave for Phuket in July to work with members of the Thai marine police, lifeguards, school children, tour operators and the Thai people to introduce the concept of surf life saving to their community.
Further trips to Thailand in the future are planned by Avoca Beach Surf Club with the aim to build the idea of fun and community service through surf life saving to the Thai people and to bring John and Slim’s dream to fruition to build these people a surf club and culture to support themselves in the promotion of surf awareness and water safety.
This project has been fully supported and endorsed by Surf Life Saving Australia, Surf Life Saving NSW and Surf Life Saving Central Coast.
At the end of the course the candidate will be able to:
Surf Awareness and Skills
Describe surfing and environmental conditions and hazards
•Recognise and describe differing currents in surf zones; specifically, rips, and inshore drift currents and holes.
•Describe methods of escaping from a rip for both strong and poor swimmers.
Recognise an appropriate safe beach and zone for surf bathing in key locations
•Assess prevailing weather conditions.
•Identify safety aspects of the beach structure.
Demonstrate surf skills
•Perform a swim, negotiate the ocean conditions, using a rescue tube.
•Paddle a board, negotiate the ocean conditions, using a rescue board.
•Demonstrate escape methods from a rip.
•Demonstrate body surfing techniques.
Basic First Aid
Identify basic patient management techniques
•Perform checks to identify potential danger to oneself, the patient and bystanders: specifically, ways to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
•Define the principles of basic first aid management.
•Recognise and manage external bleeding injuries.
•Recognise and manage patient shock and fainting.
•Recognise and manage patients suffering minor burns: specifically, sunburn.
•Recognise and manage patients suffering soft tissue injuries, using the specific techniques of rest, ice, compression and elevation.
•Perform a basic emergency care management assessment: specifically, danger, response, airway, breathing, circulation, and defibrillation.
Basic Resuscitation
Perform basic resuscitation techniques
•List stages in the chain of survival.
•Perform one- and two-person patient assessment.
•Define the differences between infant and adult resuscitation methods.
•List who should be sent to hospital.
Resuscitation (CPR)
Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques
•Demonstrate knowledge of when to start CPR, and the flow chart procedures for CPR.
•List the different rates of CPR for adults, children and infants.
•Perform one- and two-person CPR techniques.
•Perform oxygen-aided resuscitation technique.
•Demonstrate and describe procedures for managing patients after CPR.
•Demonstrate the use and knowledge of oxygen therapy.
Rescue Techniques
Perform patient approaches, support and escapes aided by equipment on a conscious and an unconscious patient
•Perform a tube and board rescue for a person in distress.
•Assess the patient’s level of distress.
•Secure and support the patient using the rescue equipment.
•Return the patient safely to shore.
Identify people in distress in a surfing or water environment
•Describe the signs of drowning; specifically, climbing the ladder, poor flotation, being face down or waving arms.
•List common rescues, and sites and conditions for rescues.
Perform surf skills
•Complete run, swim, run, board/rescue body board in a reasonable time period
•Wadding/ dolphin diving
Patrols
Work as part of a team
•Contribute positively to team activities.
Describe the purpose of patrols and patrolling
•List three reasons for patrols and patrolling.
•Describe the roles of lifesavers and lifeguards.
•Describe the activities and trends of beach users at the local beach.
Demonstrate standard patrol practices
•Recognise the equipment required for patrolling.
•Use communication skills effectively.
•Identify patrol methods.
Identify and demonstrate all the factors which affect bathers and those using water for recreation
•Define possible dangers at the beach.
•List actions to take in emergencies to counter these dangers.
•Perform a simulated patrol rescue.
John Mitchell John is our Project Manager and a Master Builder. He is a Life Member and Vice President of Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club and has been an active member of the surf club for 43 years. John holds Bronze Medallion, Advanced Resuscitation and First Aid certificates and a Level 1 coaching certificate. John has won a number of State and National medals in individual and team events as well as in surf boat rowing. John has recently built the community a new state of the art surf club. John holds a Centenary of Federation Medal for his organisation of the “Rowing Sturt’s Steps” project which involved the rowing of a surf boat down the Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers in 1999 and 2001. John is married with six children – his family, including grandchildren, are all members of the surf club.
Alistair (Slim) PeeblesSlim joined Avoca Beach SLSC in 1973 and was an active patrolling member for eighteen years. He was one of the first to gain an IRB Driver’s Bronze. Slim has gained over 14 Surf Life Saving awards and has been Club Captain, Branch Superintendent, Manager of Competition and a Member of the Board of Examiners. Slim is a Life Member of Avoca Beach Surf Lifesaving Club and has recently been granted Life Membership of the Central Coast Branch of Surf Life Saving. Slim has been a successful IRB competitor, Manager of club, branch and state teams touring within Australia and Overseas.
Stuart HarveyStuart has been a member of SLSA for 31 years. He gained his Surf Bronze in 1985 and also holds many other Lifesaving awards including the Gold Medallion. Stuart is a current facilitator in all Silver Medallion Courses offered by SLSA. Stuart has been a member of the Board Of Directors of Surf Life Saving Central Coast for 10 years and is currently the Director of Lifesaving. Stuart was awarded the Silver Medallion for Bravery from SLSA in 2005 following a heroic rescue in extremely dangerous seas. The award is the highest bravery award offered by SLSA. He was also awarded the highest Bravery award from International Lifesaving being the first person in its history to gain this award. Stuart is a school teacher and in his spare time enjoys training for and participating in triathlons.
Tiffany McClymont (nee Braund)Tiffany has been an active member of Avoca Beach and Palm Beach Surf Life Saving Clubs for the past 12 years. She gained her Bronze Medallion in 1995 and has represented Avoca Beach SLSC in the 2004 Interstate Championships and in that year was in the Open Women’s Surf Boat crew that was placed second in the State and Australian Surf Life Saving Championships. Tiffany is a keen runner and was placed 16th in the 2006 Gold Coast Marathon and has competed in running events ranging from 21 to 100km. Tiffany is an Ambulance Officer in the Ambulance Service of NSW and is a qualified Hospital Scientist in Haematology and Cytogenetics. Tiff has recently married and enjoys running, rowing, outrigger canoe paddling and long walks on the beach at sunset!
Craig Anderson Craig has been a member of Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club for 18 years. Craig holds his Bronze Medallion, IRB Drivers Licence, Senior First Aid, ARC and Defibrillation awards. He is a Trainer and Assessor and is actively involved with the training of new candidates for their surf awards and certificates. Craig has been a Patrol Captain for 12 years. Craig is a keen surfer and fisherman and works as a builder and TAFE teacher. He loves Thai food and is keen to foster good relationships with the Thai people to establish the culture of Surf Life Saving in their country.
Stephen JelfsSteve qualified as a volunteer surf life saver in 1991 with Copacabana Surf Life Saving Club. He has been a member of Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club since 1994 and has been the Club's Director of Finance for 8 years. He is responsible for the Thailand teams' Finances & Logistics. Steve works as a Facilities Coordinator for WorkCover NSW and enjoys rugby and keeping fit. He is married to Leanne and has two sons Mark & Brett.
Chris ParkerSurf Life Saving is Chris’s life! Chris has been a member of Surf Life Saving Australia since he was 5 years old when he first joined as a nipper. He has patrolled Avoca Beach for 10 years and has been a Patrol Captain for the past 3 years. Chris has also worked as a Council Lifeguard for 3 years and is currently employed as the Support Officer for Surf Life Saving Central Coast. Chris has won numerous State and Australian Titles including Australian Junior Ironman and Surf Swim Titles. He was also contracted by Kellogg’s Nutri-grain for 4 years as a professional Ironman in the National Surf League. Chris is looking forward to travelling to Thailand to share his love of the ocean and assist in the introduction of the fun culture of surf life saving.
Karen Douglas Karen joined Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club in 1986 when she gained her Bronze Medallion. Since then Karen has gained a number of awards including ARC, Defibrillator and Spinal Management certificates. Karen has been the First Aid Officer for the club over the last 8 years and is an active Masters’ Competitor in individual surf events as well as surf boat rowing. Karen is a local General Practitioner working in the local communities of Avoca Beach and Terrigal. She is actively involved in the promotion of good health and illness prevention and is a member of a national committee for the setting of Quality in Health and Practice Standards and Accreditation for Australian General Practice.
Darren ClarkeDarren has worked as a Professional Lifeguard for over 6 years and has also been a Patrol Captain for Avoca Beach SLSC for 5 years. Darren has held the awards of Patrolman and Junior Clubman of the Year and holds numerous SLSA certificates and awards. He also enjoys surf lifesaving competition, in which he is a former Australian Champion and State Representative. Darren is in his final years of university studies to become a lawyer.
Melinda MacphersonMel is a freelance cameraman and editor with a thirst for adventure. Specialising in surf and snow media, Mel shoots with her water camera for sporting events such as the Nutri-Grain Iron Man Series over summer and films snow reports and events in the Australian Snowy Mountains during winter. Mel has been an active member of Avoca Beach and Bilgola Surf Life Saving Clubs and has been in the winning crews of the Open Women's Surf Boat Championships at the last four Australian titles. Mel has recently been recognised in the ASRL Hall of Fame for her achievements.
Bradley Cox Brad has been an active member of Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club for 6 years and a nipper at nearby Copacabana. He has won Gold and Bronze medals in the Open Men’s Surf Boats at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships. As a carpenter, Brad was a major contributor to the recent renovations and building of the new Avoca Beach Surf Club. Brad has been a volunteer in the Rural Fire Brigade and has played Rugby Union for Avoca Beach for 20 years. He has been in the Central Coast representative side for Rugby from 1996 – 2003 and has coached the Under 16 Avoca team. Brad enjoys keeping fit and has interests in snowboarding, mountain biking and making furniture.
Ken IlesKen is an Ambulance Officer and Paramedic. He specialises in Casualty Access and Aeromedical Care. Ken holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences (Major in Pre-Hospital Care). Ken is a qualified First Aid instructor. Ken has been awarded a National Medal for Brave Conduct for abseiling into a flooded gorge to retrieve a bushwalker with a broken ankle and a State Medal for Meritorious Service (Bravery) for being lowered into an unstable sand cave to resuscitate a boy who was in cardiac arrest after the sand caved in on him. Ken is married with two children and has recently joined Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club to assist in the provision of professional first aid training.
John Mitchell, Project Manager, Building Liaison Officer, 0418485689
Alistair (Slim) Peebles, Team Manager
Stuart Harvey, Chief Trainer and Assessor, 0438422659
Tiffany McClymont, First Aid Instructor, 0425212673
Craig Anderson, Chief Trainer and Assessor, 0414221957
Stephen Jelfs, Logistics and Finance, 0423023743
Chris Parker, Education Officer, 0439646596
Karen Douglas, Team Medical Officer, 0414292920
Darren Clarke, Education Officer, 0421824575
Mel Macpherson, Media Officer and Publicity, 0404846096
Brad Cox, Building Officer
Ken Iles, First Aid Instructor, 0417405694
