17.1 Glossary
Purpose
To provide a consolidated glossary of common terms, acronyms, roles, systems, and operational language used throughout the SLSSA Standard Operating Procedures.
Glossary
13 SURF – The public-facing telephone number for the Surf Emergency Response System (SERS): 13 7873.
AED – Automated External Defibrillator.
Aerial Services – Surf Life Saving aviation support capability, including helicopter, RPAS, or other aerial assets used for lifesaving, surveillance, search and rescue, or operational support.
Aircraft Crash – An emergency incident involving an aircraft crash, ditching, terrain collision, building or infrastructure impact, or other aircraft-related emergency.
ANI – Automatic Number Identification.
Beachsafe – A national beach safety information platform used to provide public information regarding beaches, hazards, services, and conditions.
Body Recovery – The recovery of a deceased person from water, land, rocks, cliffs, or another incident location, generally under police direction.
Call Sign – A unique identifier used for radio communications.
C3 – Command, Control and Coordination.
CCTV – Closed Circuit Television.
Civil Twilight – For SLSSA operational purposes, the period after sunset during which there is still sufficient natural light for visibility. Unless otherwise defined in an SOP, civil twilight is considered to conclude 15 minutes after sunset.
Closed Patrol Area – A patrol area where patrol flags are not erected, patrol operations have been withdrawn, or public swimming is not advised due to environmental, operational, or safety considerations. This does not necessarily mean the beach itself is legally closed.
Coastal Fire Operations – SLSSA support activities during coastal fire incidents, evacuation operations, smoke impacts, restricted access, or emergency service tasking.
Coastal Safety Camera Network (CSCN) – The SLSSA camera network operated by the State Operations Centre to support situational awareness, lifesaving operations, emergency response coordination, and approved inter-agency support.
Command – The internal direction of members and resources of an agency in the performance of the organisation’s roles and tasks. Command operates vertically within an organisation.
Control – The overall direction of emergency management activities during an incident. The Control Agency depends on the incident type.
Control Agency – The agency responsible for the overall direction of emergency management activities for a specific incident type.
Coordination – The bringing together of organisations, personnel, equipment, information, and resources to support an emergency management response.
Critical Incident – A defined category of incident that automatically triggers immediate SOC notification and escalation, operational debriefing, and member welfare / critical incident support. Critical incidents include incidents resulting in resuscitation, death or body recovery; serious or major injury; serious injury to an SLS member requiring hospitalisation; or injury to a member of the public caused by SLS personnel or equipment requiring external medical treatment or hospitalisation.
Critical Incident Support Line – SLSSA support line available to members requiring confidential welfare or psychological support following a critical incident or traumatic event.
CSCN – Coastal Safety Camera Network.
Duty Officer (DO) – An operational role providing local tactical command for individual incidents and regional operational issues.
EAP – Employee Assistance Program.
Emergency Operations Group (EOG) – SLSSA operational group that supports emergency response, operational coordination, and after-hours capability.
Emergency Patrol Area Closure and Evacuation – Procedure for closing a patrol area, removing patrol flags, evacuating swimmers, warning the public, and managing risk during an emergency. This does not usually mean the legal closure of a beach.
Emergency Response Team (ERT) – Surf Club or SLS service emergency response capability used for out-of-hours or emergency callout response.
Flood Operations – SLSSA support activities during flood response operations, including approved support tasks, floodwater safety restrictions, and inter-agency coordination. SLS personnel must not conduct swift water operations.
Forward Commander – An operational leader appointed to provide on-scene command or coordination support for SLS resources.
GPS – Global Positioning System.
Hazardous Materials / HAZMAT – Substances or materials that may create health, environmental, fire, contamination, or operational risks.
HAZCHEM – Hazardous chemicals or the hazardous chemical identification and management system used to support safe handling, storage, response, and reporting.
Helicopter Landing Officer – A person nominated to manage a helicopter landing site, including access control, hazard identification, loose object control, and communication with aircraft crew where required.
Helicopter Landing Site – A location identified, cleared, secured, and managed to support safe helicopter landing, take-off, patient transfer, or aircraft operations.
Hot Debrief – An initial post-incident discussion or briefing conducted soon after an incident to identify immediate welfare concerns, key issues, support needs, and urgent follow-up actions. It does not replace formal operational debriefing where required.
IRB – Inflatable Rescue Boat.
JRB – Jet Rescue Boat.
Lifesaving Department – SLSSA department responsible for lifesaving operations, operational support, service delivery, and related governance functions.
Lifesaving Service Agreement (LSA) – Agreement outlining lifesaving service obligations, service levels, patrol requirements, and operational expectations.
Lifesaving Service Requirements – Minimum operational standards required to deliver lifesaving services.
Local By-Laws and Regulation – Local government or statutory rules that may apply to beach use, activities, vehicles, animals, surf craft, or public behaviour.
Marine Pollution – Contamination of the marine or coastal environment, including oil, chemicals, sewage, biological hazards, fish kills, harmful algal blooms, or other environmental contamination.
Marine Safety – Government or regulatory function relating to boating, vessel safety, navigation, marine incidents, and waterway safety.
Member Statement Form – A written statement completed by an SLS member to record observations, actions, decisions, or involvement in an incident.
Member Welfare – Support provided to SLS personnel following operational exposure, traumatic incidents, critical incidents, or other events that may affect wellbeing.
NPWS – National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Operational Debriefing – A structured operational review following a critical incident, significant incident, complex operation, exercise, near miss, or other event requiring operational learning, documentation, and follow-up.
Operations App – SLS operational application used for patrol sign on/off, patrol status, attendance, vehicle availability, incident recording, statistics, logs, and operational reporting.
Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) Camera – A camera that can be remotely moved horizontally, vertically, and zoomed to support situational awareness.
Patrol Area – The area actively managed by SLS personnel during patrol operations, including the flagged area and relevant surrounding operational areas.
Patrol Briefing – A briefing conducted before or during patrol operations to communicate conditions, hazards, roles, equipment status, communications arrangements, welfare considerations, and operational expectations.
Patrol Captain – The appointed patrol leader responsible for the management of a volunteer patrol team and patrol operations.
Patrol Flags – Red and yellow flags used to identify the supervised swimming area during patrol operations.
Patrol Operations Manual (POM) – Local operational document outlining site-specific patrol procedures, hazards, resources, and arrangements.
PFD – Personal Flotation Device.
PLB – Personal Locator Beacon.
POB – Person On Board.
POI – Person Of Interest.
POM – Patrol Operations Manual.
Post Incident – Activities undertaken after an incident, including incident logging, operational debriefing, welfare support, records, follow-up actions, and reporting.
PTZ – Pan Tilt Zoom.
Public Order Incident – An incident involving violence, aggressive behaviour, disturbance, civil disorder, intimidation, or other conduct that may affect member safety, beach users, or patrol operations.
Public Safety and Aquatic Rescue Manual (PSAR) – Surf Life Saving Australia training manual used as a reference for lifesaving operations and training.
Rescue Ready – Equipment, personnel, or assets prepared and available for immediate emergency response or after-hours callout.
Response SMS – System used to notify, activate, or stand down SLS emergency response personnel or teams.
Reduced Visibility Operations – Operations conducted in low light, poor visibility, fog, rain, glare, darkness, or other conditions where hazards, persons, vessels, or operational targets cannot be clearly identified at a safe operational distance.
RPA – Remotely Piloted Aircraft.
RPAS – Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, commonly referred to as drones.
RPAS Operations Manual – SLSSA manual containing detailed operational requirements for RPAS Operators, including approved operating procedures, pilot requirements, pre-flight checks, flight conduct, emergency procedures, operational limitations, aviation compliance, and records.
Rotor Wash – Air movement generated by helicopter rotors that may create hazards including flying debris, spray, instability, or loss of visibility.
RWC – Rescue Water Craft.
SAR – Search and Rescue.
SAREX – Search and Rescue Exercise.
Scene Preservation – Actions taken to protect an incident scene, evidence, equipment, location, or records until emergency services or authorised personnel take control.
SERS – Surf Emergency Response System, also known as 13 SURF.
SES – State Emergency Service.
Shark Sightings and Incidents – Shark sightings, shark-related incidents, shark bites, or shark-related patrol area evacuations.
Silver Medallion Aquatic Rescue (SMAR) – Surf Life Saving award relating to aquatic rescue knowledge and capability.
SITREP – Situation Report.
SLS – Surf Life Saving.
SLSA – Surf Life Saving Australia.
SLS Personnel – Lifesavers, lifeguards, operational members, staff, volunteers, or other personnel acting in an SLS capacity.
SLS Service – A Surf Life Saving service, including surf clubs, lifeguard services, EOG services, state assets, or other approved lifesaving service providers.
SLSSA – Surf Life Saving South Australia.
SMAR – Silver Medallion Aquatic Rescue.
SOC – State Operations Centre.
SOC Supervisor – State Operations Centre role responsible for coordination oversight, SOC readiness, communications support, incident coordination, and operational situational awareness.
State Duty Officer (SDO) – Operational role providing statewide strategic and operational oversight, including critical incident oversight, executive notification, escalation, and support to Duty Officers and SOC arrangements.
State Operations Centre (SOC) – SLSSA operational coordination centre, callsign SurfCom, supporting incident coordination, communications, resource tasking, emergency service liaison, incident logging, operational monitoring, and situational awareness.
SurfCom – Radio callsign for the State Operations Centre.
Surf Emergency Response System (SERS) – SLSSA emergency notification, coordination, and resource tasking framework, also known as 13 SURF.
Surf Risk Rating (SRR) – Risk assessment tool used to assess surf, beach, weather, hazard, and operational conditions.
Surfguard – Surf Life Saving member and operational administration system.
SWAT Checks – Landing site assessment acronym used to consider size, slope, surface, surrounds, shape, sun, wind, wires, approach, terrain, and turbulence.
Tactical Command – Local operational command for an incident, usually exercised by a Duty Officer or appointed operational leader.
Triple Zero (000) – Australia’s emergency telephone number for police, fire, and ambulance.
Tsunami Operations – SLSSA support activities during tsunami warnings, tsunami-related coastal impacts, shoreline observation, public warning, evacuation support, or emergency service coordination.
UAV – Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle. This term may appear in some systems but RPAS is the preferred SLSSA terminology.
VMR – Volunteer Marine Rescue.
WHS – Work Health and Safety.
Winch Operation – Helicopter operation involving lowering or raising personnel, patients, or equipment by winch.
Work Health and Safety Act 2012 – South Australian legislation relevant to workplace health and safety obligations.
Zone Emergency Management Committee (ZEMC) – Emergency management committee comprising Local and State Government and emergency management stakeholders, with a regional risk assurance and leadership role.
Zone Emergency Support Team (ZEST) – Operational group of stakeholders established by a Control Agency to support an Incident Management Team.
Zones and Channels – Radio zones and channels used for operational communications.