11.1 SAR Responsibilities
Purpose
To outline the search and rescue (SAR) responsibilities that apply to SLS personnel, services, and resources during lifesaving operations.
Overview
Search and rescue operations require clear control, command, coordination, communication, information management, and risk management arrangements.
SAR operations may involve South Australia Police (SAPOL), emergency services, marine safety agencies, aviation assets, volunteer organisations, Surf Life Saving services, and other supporting organisations.
In South Australia, SAPOL is the control agency for all search and rescue activities.
SLSSA may support SAR operations by providing trained SLS personnel, rescue resources, communications support, local knowledge, incident information, first aid capability, situational awareness, and operational coordination through the State Operations Centre (SOC).
SAR operations must be undertaken in accordance with:
- Directions from the Control Agency,
- The National Search and Rescue Manual,
- The South Australian State Emergency Management Plan,
- SLS command, control and coordination arrangements,
- Standard Operating Procedures,
- Approved training and operational capability, and
- Applicable legislation, policy, and agency direction.
SLS personnel must operate within their training, qualifications, equipment, operational capability, and approved arrangements.
This SOP should be read in conjunction with SOP 12.1 – Command, Control and Coordination Operations.
Definitions
Search and Rescue (SAR) refers to the performance of distress monitoring, communication, coordination, search, rescue, first aid, initial medical assistance, and operational support functions to locate and assist persons in distress.
National Search and Rescue Manual means the nationally recognised SAR reference document that outlines SAR doctrine, terminology, coordination principles, planning processes, and search methods for Australian SAR authorities and organisations that support SAR operations.
Control Agency means the agency responsible for the overall direction of emergency management activities for a specific incident type.
Incident Controller means the person appointed by the Control Agency to manage the incident.
Incident Commander means the person recognised by the Control Agency or relevant emergency service as having command or leadership responsibility for an incident, incident ground, sector, or assigned operational function. Depending on the agency and incident structure, this role may also be referred to as an Incident Controller, Police Forward Commander, Forward Commander, Agency Commander, or similar.
Command means the internal direction of an organisation’s personnel, resources, and tasks.
Control means the overall direction of emergency management activities during an incident.
Coordination means bringing together personnel, information, agencies, services, and resources to support an effective emergency management response.
SLS resources may include SLS personnel, surf clubs, lifeguard services, Emergency Operations Group (EOG), Duty Officers, Jet Rescue Boats (JRB), Rescue Water Craft (RWC), Inflatable Rescue Boats (IRB), Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service (WLRHS), the State Operations Centre (SOC), Coastal Safety Camera Network (CSCN), and other approved lifesaving resources.
Search Team means a person, team, vessel, aircraft, vehicle, or other resource tasked to undertake SAR activity.
Search object means the person, vessel, craft, object, or item being searched for.
SITREP means Situation Report.
Procedure
SAR Authority and Control Agency
SAPOL is the control agency for all search and rescue activities in South Australia.
The Control Agency is responsible for the overall direction of the SAR incident, including:
- Incident objectives,
- Search planning,
- Search area determination,
- Search priorities,
- Tasking priorities,
- Inter-agency coordination,
- Search suspension or conclusion decisions, and
- Any investigation, evidence, or scene preservation requirements.
SLS personnel must follow lawful directions from the Control Agency or authorised emergency services personnel.
SLS personnel must not assume control of a SAR incident unless formally authorised under emergency management arrangements.
National Search and Rescue Manual
The National Search and Rescue Manual provides nationally recognised SAR doctrine and should guide SAR coordination, planning, terminology, search methods, and operational decision-making.
SAR activity involving SLS should be consistent with the National Search and Rescue Manual where relevant to SLS roles, tasking, and capability.
This includes consideration of:
- SAR stages,
- Information collection and assessment,
- Search object information,
- Last known position,
- Drift and environmental factors,
- Search area development,
- Search pattern selection,
- Search coverage,
- Probability of detection,
- Resource capability,
- Coordination between agencies,
- Transfer of coordination, and
- Suspension or conclusion of SAR activity.
Where a SAR operation is under the direction of a Control Agency, SLS personnel must follow Control Agency direction.
Where SLS personnel identify a safety, capability, or procedural concern, the matter must be escalated through SLSSA command and coordination arrangements.
Command, Control and Coordination
SAR operations must be managed in accordance with SOP 12.1 – Command, Control and Coordination Operations.
For SAR operations:
- Control rests with SAPOL as the control agency for all search and rescue activities in South Australia.
- Command of SLS personnel and resources remains within SLSSA command arrangements.
- Coordination of SLS resources is supported by the SOC, Duty Officer, State Duty Officer, and other appointed operational leaders.
SLS personnel must recognise the difference between external incident control and internal SLS command.
SLSSA may command its own personnel and resources but does not control the overall SAR incident unless formally authorised under emergency management arrangements.
SLSSA Role in SAR Operations
SLSSA may support SAR operations where the task is appropriate, safe, and within approved capability.
SLSSA’s role may include:
- Immediate rescue response,
- First aid or emergency care,
- Initial local search activity,
- Surf and coastal observation,
- Water safety support,
- Shoreline search support,
- Surface search support,
- Patrol area or public safety management,
- Communications support,
- Incident information collection,
- Witness information collection,
- Local beach and coastal knowledge,
- SOC coordination and incident logging,
- Situational awareness support,
- Aerial surveillance support where approved and tasked,
- Coastal Safety Camera Network observations where available,
- Search Team tasking support where authorised, and
- Post-incident follow-up in accordance with relevant SOPs.
SLS personnel must not undertake specialist SAR functions unless trained, equipped, authorised, and operating within approved arrangements.
Initial SLS Response
Where a SAR incident occurs during patrol or while an SLS service is operating, the Patrol Captain, Senior Lifeguard, or local operational leader should take immediate action to protect life and manage the initial SLS response.
This may include:
- Initiating rescue or emergency care where safe to do so,
- Notifying the SOC as soon as reasonably practicable,
- Requesting emergency service support where required,
- Identifying the last known position,
- Gathering initial information,
- Preserving witness information,
- Deploying available SLS resources where safe,
- Maintaining patrol area safety,
- Recording times, actions, decisions, and observations, and
- Providing SITREPs to the SOC.
Immediate local action must not delay notification to the SOC or emergency services.
SOC Notification and Coordination
The SOC must be notified as soon as reasonably practicable when an SLS service becomes aware of a SAR incident or potential SAR incident.
The SOC supports SAR operations by:
- Receiving initial notification,
- Creating and maintaining the incident log,
- Coordinating SLS communications,
- Notifying and tasking SLS resources,
- Liaising with SAPOL and other agencies where required,
- Supporting Duty Officer or Emergency Response Team activation,
- Recording SITREPs, actions, decisions, and tasking,
- Maintaining operational awareness,
- Supporting escalation to the State Duty Officer or Lifesaving Department, and
- Supporting post-incident records and follow-up.
Where external agency communications are required, the SOC should be used as the primary SLS contact point where practicable.
Duty Officer and SLS Command
Where activated, the Duty Officer normally provides local tactical command of SLS personnel and resources.
The Duty Officer may:
- Liaise with SAPOL, emergency services, or the Incident Commander,
- Provide local tactical direction to SLS personnel and resources,
- Confirm tasking, risks, limitations, and operational requirements,
- Support search planning with local knowledge,
- Communicate SITREPs to the SOC,
- Request additional SLS resources through the SOC,
- Monitor member safety and fatigue,
- Maintain records or contemporaneous notes,
- Support transfer of command where required, and
- Support incident follow-up.
Where a Duty Officer is not yet on scene, interim command arrangements must be managed in accordance with SOP 12.1 – Command, Control and Coordination Operations.
Task Acceptance and Capability Limits
SLS personnel and services may accept SAR tasks where the task is within training, qualifications, equipment, capability, and approved operational arrangements.
Before accepting or commencing a SAR task, the responsible SLS command role should consider:
- Who is requesting the task,
- Whether the request is from, or authorised by, the Control Agency,
- The objective of the task,
- The task location or search area,
- The resources required,
- The hazards involved,
- Environmental conditions,
- Available communications,
- Time of day and visibility,
- Personnel qualifications and experience,
- Equipment suitability,
- Fatigue and welfare considerations,
- Whether the task is consistent with SLSSA procedures, and
- Whether additional approval is required.
SLS personnel must not accept or continue a task that creates unacceptable risk or exceeds approved capability.
Where a task is declined, modified, or withdrawn due to safety or capability limitations, the reason must be communicated to the SOC and, where relevant, the Control Agency.
Immediate search actions may be appropriate where a person is missing, overdue, or believed to be in distress.
Immediate search actions may include:
- Checking the immediate area,
- Confirming the last known position,
- Confirming the time last seen,
- Speaking with witnesses,
- Checking nearby likely locations,
- Observing wind, tide, current, surf, and drift,
- Deploying available rescue-ready SLS resources where safe,
- Maintaining visual surveillance,
- Recording areas searched,
- Recording times and actions, and
- Providing updates to the SOC.
Where SAPOL or another authorised Control Agency has assumed control, ongoing search activity must align with Control Agency direction.
Accurate information is critical to SAR operations.
Initial and ongoing information should be provided to the SOC as soon as reasonably practicable.
Information may include:
- Incident location,
- Last known position,
- Time last seen,
- Number of persons missing or in distress,
- Name and description of the person,
- Clothing or equipment,
- Swimming ability,
- Medical or behavioural factors,
- Description of vessel, craft, object, or equipment,
- Direction of travel,
- Witness details,
- Weather and sea conditions,
- Tide, current, wind, and drift observations,
- Search actions already taken,
- SLS resources available,
- Hazards or limitations,
- Emergency services on scene or en route,
- Tasking received,
- Search areas covered, and
- Any changes to the situation.
SITREPs should be concise, factual, timely, and communicated through the appropriate command or coordination pathway.
Further guidance is provided in SOP 11.4 – SAR Information Factors.
Search Planning Support
The Control Agency is responsible for SAR planning and overall search coordination.
SLSSA may support search planning by providing:
- Local beach and coastal knowledge,
- Patrol observations,
- Hazard information,
- Weather and surf condition observations,
- Rip current and drift observations,
- Last known position information,
- Witness information,
- Available SLS resource information,
- SLS resource capability and limitation information,
- Coastal Safety Camera Network observations where available,
- Aerial surveillance observations where tasked, including RPAS or WLRHS observations, and
- Records of search areas already checked by SLS personnel.
SLS personnel should not independently develop or implement a complex SAR plan where the Control Agency has assumed control, unless directed or authorised to do so.
Joint Response Arrangements
SAR operations may involve volunteer lifesavers, lifeguards, EOG personnel, emergency services, council personnel, marine rescue organisations, aviation assets, and other agencies.
Where multiple SLS services are involved, each service remains responsible for the safe operation of its own personnel and equipment until a coordinated SLS command arrangement is confirmed.
Where emergency services or another Control Agency is present, SLS personnel should liaise through the appointed SLS command role, Duty Officer, or SOC unless directly tasked at the incident scene.
Where an Incident Commander establishes an incident management structure or forward command point, an appropriate SLS command representative should be identified to liaise with the Incident Commander or emergency service commanders.
Specialist or Restricted Operations
Some SAR-related activities require specialist training, equipment, or agency authority.
These may include:
- Underwater search,
- Dive operations,
- Submerged body recovery,
- Evidence recovery,
- Swift water operations,
- Night or reduced visibility water operations,
- Aircraft-related operations,
- Hazardous materials exposure,
- Confined space or unstable structure operations, and
- Operations outside approved SLS capability.
SLS personnel must not undertake specialist or restricted operations unless specifically authorised, trained, equipped, and operating under approved arrangements.
Where specialist or restricted operations are requested, the matter must be escalated through the SOC, Duty Officer, State Duty Officer, or Lifesaving Department for direction.
Transfer, Suspension, Conclusion and Follow-Up
Transfer of command, suspension of search activity, conclusion of SAR operations, stand down of SLS resources, debriefing, welfare support, and post-incident reporting must be managed in accordance with the relevant SOPs.
Where the Control Agency has assumed control of the SAR operation, SLS personnel must not independently declare the SAR operation concluded.
SLS involvement may be stood down where directed, where the assigned SLS task is complete, where conditions become unsafe, or where continued SLS involvement is outside approved capability.
References