Labor pledges big expansion of Surfers Rescue 24/7

LABOR has pledged to teach hundreds of surfers to save lives if it is re-elected on Saturday, committing to a massive expansion of the Surfers Rescue 24/7 program.

Earlier this week, Minister for Emergency Services James Merlino and Labor candidate for South Barwon Darren Cheeseman said Labor would provide $800,000 to Surfing Victoria to deliver the Surfers Rescue 24/7 program at all Victorian boardriders clubs over the next four years.

Surfers Rescue 24/7 teaches surfers critical CPR skills, how to perform board rescues and how to apply basic first aid on the water.

Labor will also introduce a modified program into secondary schools aimed at 12-17 year old students who surf, and provide training materials so that surfers know what to do when things go wrong in the water.

Schools in Lorne, Torquay, Geelong, Apollo Bay, the Mornington Peninsula, Gippsland, the Bass Coast, Portland, Heywood and Warrnambool will be offered the program.

Labor will also invest another $200,000 for Surfing Victoria to develop and roll out a modified version of Surfers Rescue 24/7 that enables surfers to assist scuba divers in trouble, and to deliver training with scuba diving clubs across Victoria.

There were 15 deaths in Victoria’s coastal waters in 2016/17, and Mr Merlino referred to the drowning of a scuba diver at Point Danger less than a week ago.

“Tragically this past week we have seen how dangerous our surf beaches can be – the best honour we can offer the family and friends of those who have died is to make sure as many people as possible have the skills they need to save a life,” he said.

“Teenagers who surf will also benefit, so they are better equipped if something goes wrong in the water.”

Mr Cheeseman welcomed the commitment.

“Surfers are in the water dawn to dusk, 365 days a year and are often the first responders to emergencies at our beaches, so skilling them up in CPR and first aid just makes sense,” he said.