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What's the difference between Lifeguards and Lifesavers?

Lifeguards are the "boys in blue" on Bondi Beach who patrol 365 days a year. The 35 Lifeguards are paid professionals employed by Waverley Council. They have have ultimate responsibility for beach safety on Bondi and perform the majority of rescues.

Bondi's volunteer Lifesavers wear the traditional red and yellow. The Surf Life Saving Association volunteers patrol on weekends and public holidays during the summer months. Both services have long and proud traditions, with many Lifeguards coming up through the ranks of local surf clubs. Lifeguards and Lifesavers work hand in hand to ensure surf safety on one of the world's busiest beaches.

How many rescues are there at Bondi?

It's difficult to predict the daily frequency of rescues at Bondi as weather and water conditions, school holidays and fluctuating tourist numbers affect the number of rescues performed. Lifeguards can perform anywhere from no rescues on one day to over 200 rescues on another day. Weekly, it can range from 10 to 400 rescues. On average, each year, Lifeguards rescue about 2,500 very grateful people. Of the total rescues performed at Bondi, Lifeguards perform about 80% while the remainder are performed by volunteers from the Bondi and North Bondi surf clubs.

History of Lifeguards

The term "lifeguard" has only been used since about 1994. Prior to that the Council staff who patrolled the beach were known as "Beach Inspectors". The first Beach Inspector, Dennis 'Dinny' Brown was appointed in 1913 to look after swimmers at Bondi Beach. Beach Inspectors and Lifeguards have been an integral part of Bondi's long and colourful history.

Lifeguard qualifications

Anyone, who wants to be a Lifeguard should be highly proficient in surf lifesaving or professional life-guarding. They should also have experience and knowledge of open ocean surf beaches in all kinds of conditions. As well as having completed the "Defibrillator" and "Necksafe" courses, applicants need to have:
1. A current NSW Class 1A Driver's Licence
2. A Workcover accredited Senior First Aid Certificate
3. A VETAB accredited Advanced Resuscitation Certificate
4. A NSW P.W.C. (Personal Water Craft) Waterways Licence

How do you become a Lifeguard?

Bondi Beach can have up to 40,000 visitors on a busy summer's day including many tourists with poor swimming ability and limited knowledge of the surf. It's a big responsibility looking out for them. To ensure the Lifeguards are up to the task, applicants are required to go through rigorous physical tests and paramedic training.
The physical tests include:

- an 800 metre pool swim under a time of 13min 30sec
- also a combined 600 metre surf swim
- 600 metre sand run
- 600 metre rescue board paddle
- and a 600 metre sand run under a time of 30min.

Lifeguards must also perform simulated board and tube rescues in various surf conditions.
So, yes, you could say the applicants who make it through are quite fit.

How do the shark nets work?

Shark nets are used on open ocean beaches in Qld and NSW. They are simply a straight, rectangular piece of net suspended in the water between buoys. They are anchored at either end, usually about 200 metres from shore, in about 10 metres of water. Most shark nets stretch about 200 metres along the beach and down to a depth of 6 metres. Floats at the top and sinkers at the bottom keep the net upright in the water. The mesh holes are 50cm wide; small enough to entangle sharks, and other large marine species, but big enough to leave smaller fish alone. The nets, however, are not intended to form a complete barrier, and sharks can still get through. The nets act as a deterrent by interrupting the territorial swimming patterns of sharks. In a typical 20km stretch of coastal surf beach, a strip of net will be set up every couple of kilometres along the beach.  

When was the last shark attack at Bondi?

We’re pleased to report that since the shark nets were erected in 1937, not one person has died from a shark attack at Bondi. The last fatal attack was in 1929. There have been three shark sightings at Bondi over the last three weeks this January. The shark alarm was sounded twice, and all swimmers were safely removed from the water.

Are any rescues staged for Bondi Rescue?

Never. Bondi Rescue is a purely observational documentary series. We film real events as they unfold. It would be a slight on the professionalism of both the Lifeguards and the production team to suggest events were "mocked-up" for the series. As well as being untruthful, mocking up rescues or setting off shark alarms when there are no sharks would actually compromise beach safety. All rescues and incidents on the beach are real.

Does the film crew have any impact on beach safety?

Absolutely none at all.  The Lifeguards are professionals and keep their eye on the water at all times. Their absolute priority is the safety of beachgoers and they are strictly instructed not to let cameras get in the way at anytime they've got people's lives to look out for.  Our film crews also have a very firm obligation not to impede or interrupt the Lifeguards during any rescues and must obey all directives from Lifeguards. If anything, the cameras add to vigilance on the beach, because Lifeguards are being observed every hour of every day over summer. The Lifeguards are very proud of their job and reputation. The producers of Bondi Rescue are also proud that part of the programme's underlying goal is to promote beach safety around the country.

How do Lifeguards decide where to put the flags?

At the beginning of each day the Council Lifeguards carry out an assessment of conditions including surf size, tide, wind direction and the location of rips and sandbanks. Based on this assessment sets of flags are erected in the safest zones and their position constantly monitored throughout the day. Swimming between the flags is the most important surf safety message to adhere to at all Australian beaches. But even then be wary of stepping off sandbanks or into holes where water may suddenly become deeper. Swimming between the flags can still be dangerous for poor swimmers.

On some days conditions are so treacherous Bondi Beach is completely closed.

How can I tell what a rip looks like?

Most people who need rescuing at the beach have been caught in a rip. A rip is a body of fast moving water that is draining incoming water away from the beach and back out to sea. Rips can be deceptive as they can look like calm sections of water between surf zones. Ironically, the shallower sections of the beach where the waves are breaking can often be safest.

You can recognize a rip by its contrast with the surrounding water. For example, if the sea is rough and white, a rip may appear as a calmer looking section of water. Sometimes a rip can be traveling so fast that it churns up and becomes choppy. Look for the spots where surfers paddle out into the water; they often use rips to get a "free ride" out to the surf.

What you should do if you get caught in a rip

Don't panic and don't try to swim back in against the rip. If you are a competent swimmer, swim across the rip towards the surf zone before heading back into shore. If you are a poor swimmer don't fight the rip as you will exhaust yourself. You should save your energy for keeping afloat. Put one arm up to attract the attention of Lifeguards or Lifesavers.

Dumpers

"Dumpers" are waves that break with great force, usually at low tide, in shallow water.  They can be dangerous. The wave crest plunges straight down instead of rolling down. Dumpers are the cause of most spinal injuries at surf beaches. Anyone who has been dumped can remember the powerful force that kept them pinned onto the sand with the water swirling over them.