Surf Life Saving: Water Safety And Rescue Facilities

About Surf Life Saving

Question:

Describe about the policy for advocacy.
 

1.1  Surf Live Saving   

Surf Life Saving (SLS) a non-profit community organization by providing rescue facilities for water safety. The company is involved in governing the peak costal water safety, taking into account the operations in rescuing and drowning activities. It is one of the largest volunteer movements in Australia that consists of 313 affiliated members and 169,633 members are attached to it actively. The organization was formed in 1907 and till now around 630,000 people have been saved. In a year the organization patrolling hours account to 1319295 hours with 12690 people being saved annually (Surflifesavingwa, 2016).   

The ideologies and values of SLS are based upon leadership, prevention and education to the individuals. The organizations aim at using the equipments and resources effectively with the help of education programs. This can be achieved by empowering the communities by educating them to have the required knowledge and skills related to water safety and rescuing.   

The mission statement of SLS is into saving lives by building great Australians by building better communities

The SLS is working on the philosophy of preventing injuries and saving lives by taking necessity precautions. The importance of water lives need to be understood that is the basic for every person living in the communities and individually too. Thus, SLS helps in creating safe environment in Australia coastline and beaches through campaigns, education and training, promotion of fitness and health. The aim is saving, promoting and protecting life by having a go attitude. Therefore, SLS is preventing the fear in individuals through actions that helps the community to enjoy the water by being aware of it.

1.2  Health Issue    

The health issue is the water related deaths in the coastal areas in the age group between 20-50 years. The coastal drowning deaths account to 84 from which the highest number is of the males i.e. 89% and female’s i.e.11%. Some of the factors that are leading to deaths are 14% from alcohol or drugs, 15% from rip currents and 24% is bad medical condition (Surflifesaving, 2014). The issue represented in terms of health is the policy of advocating by reducing the deaths happening by water. Advocacy is participating for the cause by indulging in the act and supporting others as well by drawing others to make important decisions. The death and injuries present in Queensland coastal region of Australia. The injuries and deaths as per social model of health in SLS are focussing upon three aspects:

• Working in collaboration with organizations for providing support
• The communities and people need to be empowered for taking active decisions
• In viewing the health three components need to be considered support services, education and access to services

In supporting and caring for health one of the major factors to be considered in health is well being and health of the person. It is possible with the help of values and ideologies and mission that is stated above to take into account the appropriate approaches. The individuals need to be empowered for taking the right decision with the right use of knowledge and skills. This is done in accordance with enjoying the environment i.e. water safely and confidently.  The organization is working in collaboration with Royal Life Saving in a joint initiative to save lives. This is formed to safe the people and their lives from drowning by working with government body such as Australian Water Safety Council. The ideologies and values are similar of two organizations for implementing the water safety strategies to protect people by having more power.  

Mission and Values

The partners of SLS are different clubs supporting for the cause in schools from saving children from drowning.

1.3 Evidence of Issues

As per the data generated relating to health from the media and statistics reports represents number of statistics. The statistics stated below is related for 20-54 years old with the perspective of health costs governing it and the health issues affecting it. The affect can be seen on the state and below are the statistics:

The deaths in coastal areas are 17

The male rate is 89% and 11% in females

The age group between 25 to 54 years is 70.5%

The individuals from the remote areas were 82% in Western Australia

The drowning report represents the fact that 3,116 lives were lost in last eleven years in between 2004-05 to 2015/. It states that on an average 283 deaths are seen in a year.

The drowning impact is seen mainly in

Each year 87% of the meals are drowned in coastal areas i.e. harbours, beaches, costal rocks and oceans leading to the death

The state government of Australia is spending more than $4.5m in the organization (Dpti, 2016)

Quotes by Media:

Boy died while playing on Glenelg breakwater lead to the tragedy (ABC News, 2016)

A woman feared dead by crocodile attack in North Queensland (Branco, 2016)

Fathers lost lives and drowns on Victorian beaches in order to save their sons (TheAustralian, 2013)

The evidence of such behaviours states that due to alcohol consumption, rip currents, untamed behaviour and use of drugs between the 20-54 years old. This happens mainly due to lack of knowledge about the water as the skills are of low level. It is important to maintain the water safety policy by understanding the facts happening with the injury. For this a policy needs to be implemented i.e. first aid and CPR for the local people and community of the coastal areas by providing training to the volunteers and individuals. This helps in preventing the injuries and deaths related with water in the age group provided.

In keeping the mind the safety and health of the people St. Johns Ambulance living in the coastal or community areas it is important to teach the adults by providing training in workplaces and colleges. The program helps in training the people by teaching the employees how to act in case of an emergency occurs by reaching for the success. St. Johns Ambulance is helping the community by saving lives of the people through first aid. They provide medical services in many events by involving the community in many events. (stjohnvic, 2015).   

2.1 Objectives & Goals

SLS believes in the fact that training is mandatory i.e. CPR and First aid in the Coastal area of Queensland by reducing the drowning to 44% and by 2020 the target is to reduce it by 50%. The policy takes into account the fatal injuries and deaths from drowning in Queensland by accounting for the highest number. This is done in accordance with secondary individuals living in the community with an ideal test population by having hopes for expanding it effectively.

Water Safety Statistics

Goal of Policy

Making CPR and first aid training compulsory in Queensland Coastal area by 2017 for reducing the drowning accidents by 50% in 2020
Framing Effective Health Policy	The policies have to be made effective for community and employees in workplace for incorporating first aid and CPR training. The training is compulsory for the life coaches and lifeguards in coastal areas
Building Supportive Environment	The professionals have to be present for the staffs in beaches for guiding the individuals
Establishing Community Actions	The local community have to be involved such as lifesaving groups and ambulance
Enhancing Personal Skills	A certified professional should conduct such an act by having CPR and first aid training Certificates need to be issued for first aid training
Evolving Health Services	St. Johns Ambulance and Red cross can be involved in the process

1st Objective: Providing first aid and CPR training to community and local people within 2016
Framing Effective Health Policy	Every coastal area should have two groups having equipped with training in every state
Building Supportive Environment	High influential people have to be upgraded with sense of trust in them for the training deliver to them
Establishing Community Actions	More and more people have to be trained in the coastal and nearby beach areas
Enhancing Personal Skills	The life coaches and guards have to train people by enhancing their personal skills
Evolving Health Services	The life guard have to deliver the programs with the help of the local community in workplaces by delivering the training

2nd Objective: Providing training to people who live near to beaches by taking into consideration Queensland as test population
Framing of Health Policy	The policy have to be advocated as a means of trial in Queensland coastal location
Making the Environment Supportive	People residing by the beaches have to be trained for establishing a safer environment by making them safe. This helps in providing support to others in case they need it
Having Community Actions	The beaches in Queensland will be governed by lifesaving facilities for needing assistance in future. This helps in learning by taking police in to account by understanding the importance of first aid.
Developing Personal Skills	The individual who are in need of the training have to be equipped with basic and necessary knowledge. This involves the people who live near the beach by making is effective implementation.
Perspectives on Health Services	In order to take care of the health the knowledge of the program is a must that includes- lifesavers and Party safe programs abided with Police

3rd Objective: First aid training has to be a part of Party Safe Program for Young People and Adults
Formation of Public Health Policy	The Party safe program incorporates advocacy on first aid action for the youths and adults who are participating in the program
Building an Supportive Environment	When the safety of individual is concerned related to water and alcohol police has to be incorporated. The training provided to the police helps in making the youths independent so that they can take care of themselves.
Taking Community Action for Strengthening	The police in Queensland have to deliver the training by involving the adults and youths in it
Forming Personal Skills	This training has to be used in case their peers are in danger for applying the learnt skills
Reorientation of Health Services	St. Johns Ambulance with Police by their side have to bring change in health

3.3 Articulating on Recommendation for Government

The suggestions provided to the government are as follows:

• The policy formed on advocacy should be trailed in Queensland coastal area to check its effectiveness by viewing its success. If the policy is found to be successful than it is expanded into another coastal area by measuring the success. Hence, the success could be measured by evaluating techniques.
• The funding for St. John Ambulance in respect to CPR and first aid training for Queensland coastal areas for the community and individuals in workplaces between 25-54 years. The funding is done on the basis of providing training to community people, lifesavers etc.  
• In collaboration with Part safe program for providing training in workplaces with the existing program. It has to be done in correspondence with adults and youths by making them aware. 

3.1 Health Policy Promotion   

The research development and health promotion was established in 2012 to save people from dying in the coastal areas. The individuals in the community are gaining experience to the visitors in beaches. The safety of partnership in making the community to make the coastal areas safe this is done by ocean paddling. The outcome of the safety is the influence generated by the approaches and events. The beach environment has to be changed by being dynamic in nature by assessing the risks, community consultation, signage, use of technology and community consultation. The table below provided are:

Fig: 1Prevention of Injury in Australia

The community has to be engaged and consulted with the strategies formed with WA by urban planning, risk assessment and consultation of community. In order to prevent the injury kite boarding has to be introduced in order to be safe by designing the framework of participation, recreational activities and participation. It is done in accordance with the changing environment by fostering innovative solutions for implementing it effectively. The reports on coastal safety for the lifeguard for the professionals have to act in accordance with future planning of the services. Similarly, it helps in safety initiatives for the coastal areas, lifesaving services, funding applications and risk assessment of the coastal areas.

The organization has to mandate sign boards issues warning of safety in case of high tides or if animals are moving in the beaches. The men have to be warned for not consuming alcohol and swimming in the beaches or taking a coach with them if they are not trained. They need to be educated by accessing to various services by empowering their approach for making the right decision. They need to take necessary precautions before going into the water by learning and getting trained in the meantime.

Ottawa Charter is defined as describing the core competencies and activities by promoting the health of the population. This model is used for health promotion to having the access and control over health for enhancing it effectively (Munster, 2008). In order to achieve the mental and physical state of mind it is crucial to find out what needs have to be satisfied for being with the change in the environment. Hence, health is viewed as a resource that is required for everyday living by having a positive effect. Hence, health promotion is not the sole responsibility of the health sector but id of the individual that extends beyond well being and lifestyle.   

The health policy aims at improving the Coastal lives by teaching the community and in workplace by providing basic training. It includes CPR and first aid training to employees and community people. The skills embedded in providing them training by developing them personally so that more control is supported in terms of working with the health (Wass, 2000). This helps in supporting the community and others by helping self for the approach. This training will help the individuals in time of need by empowering the community by strengthening it for future. This will provide assistance and guidance by saving live of the people. The environment will be supportive by having collaborations by working in partnership in different sectors. The training provided to the community and individuals in workplaces should be on CPR and first aid by enacting first on emergency services by delivering essential care.   

The work performed by the community for making effective decisions by setting priorities and making actions for having better health. Therefore, advocacy on health enriches the quality of life by working on the social, economic and personal aspects of life.   

References

ABC News. (2016). Boys played on breakwater before drowning, lifesaving official says.

Branco, J. (2016). Thornton Beach crocodile attack: Five-metre croc spotted earlier this month. 

Munster, F. (2008). The Ottawa Charter and acute health care. Promotion & Education, 15(2), pp.35-36.

stjohnvic.com.au. (2015). Volunteering.

Surflifesaving. (2014). National Coastal Safety Report.stralia.

Wass, A. (2000). Promoting health. Sydney: Harcourt Saunders.