12.3 Surf Emergency Response System (SERS) ("13 SURF")
Purpose
To outline the Surf Emergency Response System (SERS) within SA to:
- Save lives;
- Improve casualty survival rates;
- Reduce response times for lifesaving and supporting emergency services;
- Maximise the quality of a coordinated emergency response system;
- Provide clarification on the most appropriate resources to utilise; and
- Reduce the risk to responding personnel.
Overview
SLS personnel must follow the provided guidelines to ensure the effectiveness of the Surf Emergency Response System as SLSSA’s emergency notification, coordination, and resource tasking framework.
The State Operations Centre (SOC) maintains the Surf Emergency Response System (SERS).
Definition
For the purposes of this SOP, an emergency response refers to any operational activation or request for assistance involving SLSSA resources.
Requests may originate from:
- Emergency Services (Police, Fire, Ambulance),
- SA State Emergency Service (SES),
- Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR),
- SLS Services (Australian Lifeguard Service, Council Lifeguards, Surf Life Saving Clubs (patrols), Emergency Operations Group, etc),
- Marine Safety, and/or
- National Parks and Wildlife Service Rangers.
Background
The nature of emergency response often results in a situation where:
- Incident is at an unpatrolled location/time.
- There is limited information – unknown circumstances/details available.
- Patients may already be experiencing significant physiological compromise associated with drowning or aquatic trauma.
- Response time is critical to the casualty’s survival/recovery.
Procedure
The Surf Emergency Response System is the process for upward notification of locally identified or notified major incidents from SLS services. Internal notifications, i.e. those from SLS services, still filter into the Surf Emergency Response System.
SLS services must not implement alternative notification or tasking systems that conflict with, duplicate, or undermine the Surf Emergency Response System.
The Surf Emergency Response System should utilise the most appropriate available resource to achieve the safest and most effective response outcome. This may include resources from Surf Life Saving, emergency services, government agencies, or supporting organisations.
Operational tasking and escalation arrangements associated with the Surf Emergency Response System, including the 13 SURF number, must not be publicly distributed outside approved SLSSA communication channels.
The system must be referred to externally as the ‘Surf Emergency Response System’.
Emergency Notifications - SLS Services Requiring Assistance
During the State Operations Centre (SOC) standard operating hours, initial notification from SLS personnel should be made to the SOC via radio (primary) or telephone (secondary).
Outside SOC standard operating hours, emergency incidents should be notified via Triple Zero (000) where emergency service activation is required.
Police are generally the control agency for aquatic and marine search and rescue incidents within South Australia.
Subsequent updates and operational information from SLS services should be communicated to the rostered on-call SOC Supervisor via 13 SURF (monitored 24/7).
Communication and Resource Types
- Primary Resource Notification: The SLS resource which is deemed nearest/most appropriate to respond to an incident and is notified/tasked first.
- Secondary Resource Notification: The SLS resource/s which may provide value to an emergency response and is notified/tasked after the primary.
- Notification Only: A notification made to additional resources, including neighbouring resources (as required) and key stakeholders (as required) where a response from these parties is not necessary.
Command and Control
The Surf Emergency Response System is primarily responsible for disseminating emergency information to lifesaving services on behalf of emergency services and providing SITREPS to those agencies as appropriate.
For a rescue incident, SA Police are generally the control agency.
The rostered on-call SOC Supervisor has the delegated authority of SLSSA to act in the position of SLS Incident Commander until a Duty Officer arrives on site (if tasked).
Responding services are to appoint a SLS Incident Commander if requested to by the SOC.
Response SMS
SLS services should be tasked to respond via Response SMS. Refer to SOP 12.4 – Surf Club Emergency Response Teams (ERT).
References