8.11 Adverse Weather and Environmental Conditions (“Inclement Weather”)
Purpose
To provide operational guidance for patrols responding to adverse weather, environmental hazards, or public health conditions that may impact the safety of members or the public.
Definition
For the purpose of this SOP, “Adverse Weather and Environmental Conditions” refers to any weather, environmental, or public health condition that may create an unacceptable risk to patrol operations, members, or the public.
This may include:
- Severe weather,
- Strong winds,
- Heavy rain,
- Lightning,
- Extreme heat or cold,
- Harmful algal blooms,
- Marine pollution,
- Fish kills,
- Discoloured water,
- Airborne irritants or odours,
- Smoke or airborne contaminants, or
- Other environmental hazards identified through operational risk assessment.
This is commonly referred to as “inclement weather”.
Overview
Adverse weather and environmental conditions may require patrol operations to be modified, restricted, temporarily withdrawn, or concluded where public or member safety cannot be adequately managed.
Operational decisions should be based on dynamic risk assessment, prevailing conditions, public safety considerations, and relevant operational or public health advice.
Where environmental contamination or marine pollution is identified, patrol operations should also be managed in accordance with:
Responsibilities
Patrol Captains, Senior Lifeguards, and operational leaders are responsible for:
- Assessing conditions using the Surf Risk Rating (SRR),
- Monitoring environmental and public safety hazards,
- Adjusting patrol operations where required,
- Escalating operational concerns to the State Operations Centre (SOC), and
- Aligning public messaging with relevant authority advice where applicable.
Procedure
Risk Assessment
Patrols must conduct dynamic risk assessments using the Surf Risk Rating (SRR) within the Operations App or other approved operational systems.
Risk assessments should consider:
- In-water hazards,
- Shoreline hazards,
- Airborne environmental hazards,
- Public exposure risks,
- Member welfare,
- Operational capability, and
- Forecast or changing conditions.
Patrol Modification and Withdrawal
Where adverse weather or environmental hazards create an unacceptable operational risk, patrol operations should be modified, restricted, temporarily withdrawn, or concluded as appropriate.
Operational actions may include:
- Removal or relocation of patrol flags,
- Erection of hazard or warning signage,
- Restriction of water activities,
- Relocation of personnel to safe positions,
- Temporary withdrawal from the beach environment,
- Suspension of training or operational activities, and
- Patrol conclusion where safe operations cannot be maintained.
Where safe and operationally appropriate, personnel should maintain surveillance capability from protected or elevated positions.
Communication and Escalation
Patrols must notify the State Operations Centre (SOC) of:
- Significant environmental or weather hazards,
- Patrol status changes,
- Patrol withdrawal or conclusion,
- Public safety concerns, and
- Requests for operational assistance or escalation.
Public safety messaging should align with relevant operational guidance, public health advice, and organisational communications where applicable.
Ongoing Monitoring
Patrols should continue monitoring conditions throughout operations and reassess risks where conditions change.
Operational observations, hazards, patrol status changes, and significant actions should be recorded within operational systems where required.
Patrol operations should only resume where conditions are assessed as safe and operationally manageable.
Requests to Cease Patrolling
Requests to cease patrolling, once all reasonable operational controls and mitigation measures have been exhausted, must be endorsed by the rostered Duty Officer or Lifesaving Department through the State Operations Centre (SOC) prior to patrol sign off where practicable.
Operational decisions should consider:
- Member safety,
- Public safety,
- Prevailing and forecast conditions,
- Available resources,
- Ability to maintain minimum service requirements, and
- Relevant public safety or health advice.
References