BOD 2012-2 MIN APP 10C - IFA - ILS Beach Lifeguard Award.pdf

International Life Saving Federation Minutes APP 10C - Page 1 

2012-2 – Adelaide - Australia Board of Directors 

ITEM FOR APPROVAL 

Subject 

Lifeguard and Lifesaver Qualifications and ILS Equivalency - ILS Award 

Criteria – International Beach (Surf) Lifeguard Award 

Strategic Goal 

No.2 – Position ILS as the international leader, advocate and global best 

practice authority for medical, education and rescue issues in lifesaving 

and lifeguarding. 

Performance Indicator The ILS is recognised as the world authority on drowning prevention. 

Recommendation/Motion 1. That the International Surf Lifeguard award be renamed “International 

Beach Lifeguard” award. 

2. That the Recommended Skill Sets and Competencies for the 

International Beach Lifeguard award be amended and updated as per 

the attached. 

Background/Rationale At the October 2010 meeting of the ILS Board held in Egypt, the Board 

noted the Lifesaving Commissioner’s report which stated: 

“I reported to the Board in Madrid that a self audit of member organisations 

ongoing compliance with ILS award equivalency would be conducted. 

During the conduct of this audit, and subsequent applications for ILS award 

equivalency, a number of compliance issues emerged. The Rescue and 

Education Committees are reviewing the awards for both competency and 

currency. In the meantime, while this review continues, all current awards 

will stand.” 

The Board was updated on the progress on this task at the meeting held in 

May 2011 in Vietnam. The resolution of the Board was: “The Board of 

Directors was informed that the equivalencies approved in the past would 

remain unchanged until a solution to the identified concerns can be found 

(anticipated April – May 2012). The Lifesaving Commissioner agreed to 

include a European Member in these deliberations. The Board received 

unanimously (14: U) this information.” 

Dr Klaus Wilkins was nominated to act as the additional European member. 

The Working Group consisted of Martin O’Sullivan - Irish Water Safety, 

(Chair), Danny Bryant – SLSGB (Co-ordinate and circulate), Matt 

Thompson – SLSA, Peter Dawes – RNLI, Justin Bakinga - RLSS 

Cameroon and Klaus Wilkins – DLRG (representing Europe). 

The review of the International Surf Lifeguard Award commenced in 2009. 

Since the review began, the lifesaving commission and its subordinate 

committees have developed a number of drafts which moved between the 

criteria being prescriptive and generic. The debate has been extensive. 

The final version of the revised award criteria is positioned as generic. This 

direction was taken due to the variation in the development stage of 

member organisations and also the variation in available resources and 

local rescue techniques. The revised award criteria should allow most 

member organisations to achieve compliance with the criteria. 

Options 

ILS recognises that many of its Member Federations have standards that 

exceed these base criteria, based on the circumstances presented in their 

own countries. The ILS will continue to encourage the highest possible 

standards in lifeguarding, and provides its criteria as recommended 

minimum competencies. 

1. Adopt the award criteria as drafted. 

2. Consider amendments to the award criteria as proposed by the Board 

of Directors. 

3. Not adopt the criteria as an award of the ILS, that is, the current Surf



Potential Risk/Issues 

Lifeguard award criteria remains in place. 

Adoption of the award criteria will assist ILS member organsations in 

working towards standard award criteria and consistency across global 

lifesaving. 

By going with a generic standard, there may be a variation in the actual 

level of ability of candidates accredited with the award. This could be 

avoided with a prescriptive standard. 

Environmental Impact 

Human/Financial 

Resource Implications 

However with a prescriptive standard, the reality is that due to the variation 

in lifesaving techniques and resources available to member organisations, 

it is unlikely that many member organisations will be able to achieve the 

prescribed criteria. This would result in non-compliance and a lack of 

uptake of the ILS award equivalency. 

There is no environmental impact. 

There are unlikely to be any significant human, financial or resource 

implications for the ILS. 

Policy Reference 

Attachments/References 1. 

Approval History: 

Rescue Committee 

Lifesaving 

Commission 

The financial and resource implications are with the body conducting the 

lifesaving activity, where the organisation may need to make adjustments in 

order to comply with the award criteria. 

Current ILS Surf Lifeguard award criteria in place. 

ILS Beach Lifeguard Award Criteria revised draft 

2. ILS Lifesaving Position Statement (LPS 07) – Fitness Testing for 

Lifeguards 

3. ILS Surf Lifeguard Award Criteria (Original) 

4. SLSA Bronze Medallion/Cert II Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue) 

5. RNLI Beach Lifeguard Award 

6. SLSGB Beach Lifeguard Award 

7. SLSNZ Surf Lifeguard Award 

September 2012 

September 2012



International Beach Lifeguard 

Minimum Recommended Skill Sets and Competencies 

Training Requirement 

A ‘Beach Lifeguard’ is a person who will be regularly assigned to protect life and provide safety cover 

in both surf and non-surf environments. The operational environment places very specific demands on 

the skills and knowledge expected of a training and competent lifeguard. 

The following are the minimum skill sets recommended by the International Life Saving Federation for 

a Beach Lifeguard: 

1. Demonstrate a level of fitness to meet the operational requirement. 

2. Describe appropriate techniques for identifying potential casualties in the water. 

3. Describe the basic principles of managing aquatic (surf) and beach related emergencies. 

4. Demonstrate rescues with and without equipment. 

5. Demonstrate appropriate casualty care for common beach related injuries or illnesses. 

ILS recognizes that many of its Member Federations have standards that exceed these minimums, 

based on the circumstances presented in their own countries. 

ILS encourages the highest possible standards in lifeguarding, and merely provides the following as 

recommended minimum competencies. 

That the Beach Lifeguard Award should be re-assessed on a regular basis to ensure the lifeguard 

continues to meet the standards required. 

1. Demonstrate a level of fitness to meet the operational requirement 

Competency/Outcome Rationale Assessment Criteria 

i. Perform water-based 

fitness skills in a pool 

or open water 

environment. 

Candidates need to be pretested 

in a safe environment 

(i.e. pool) to ensure that they 

are safe to continue training 

in more challenging 

environments such as a surf 

beach. Organisations may 

feel it is appropriate to 

establish separate criteria for 

commencing training and for 

final testing. 

Requirement 

Organisations need to develop a standard 

that will ensure that candidates can 

demonstrate a level of fitness that will 

keep themselves safe for training and to 

perform to a benchmark that meets 

operational requirements. 

Guideline 

ILS has developed a policy relating to 

lifeguard fitness. 

ii. 

Demonstrate a level 

of fitness combined 

with applied 

knowledge and skills 

in an operational 

(surf or beach) 

environment. 

Testing of candidates for 

beach lifeguard 

competencies should include 

elements of testing in the 

operational environment. 

This element should be 

carried out as if for a rescue, 

showing urgency and speed. 

Recommended Minimum Standard 

Swim 400m within 8 minutes 

Requirement 

Organisations need to develop standards 

that will ensure candidates can perform 

required skills in the operational 

environment. 

Guideline 

Demonstrate running, wading, porpoising 

and swimming skills in a beach/surf 

environment. 


Run-Swim-Run (Run 200 m, swim 

200 m and run 200 m) within 8 

minutes



iii. 

Demonstrate lift and 

carry of casualty 

Lifeguards will be required to 

lift and carry a casualty from 

the water to a position of 

safety on the beach 

Note: The Examiner in charge will have 

the discretion to extend the time due to 

varying environmental conditions, at all 

times ensuring the safety of the 

candidates, provided all candidates are 

informed prior to the commencement of 

the assessment. 

Demonstrate lift and carry of the 

casualty from the water to a position 

of safety on the beach 

Requirement 




environment. 

Guideline 

Demonstrate a lift and carry of casualty 

taking due consideration of occupational 

health and safety issues for both the 

casualty and the rescuer. 

iv 

Demonstrate a 

surface dive and 

underwater swim 

Lifeguards need to be able to 

submerge to look for and 

recover an unconscious 

casualty 


Demonstrate a lift and carry by a lone 

rescuer 

Demonstrate a lift and carry by 

multiple (i.e. 2) rescuers 

Requirement 




environment. 

Guideline 

Demonstrate an ability to surface dive 

and swim underwater. 


Surface dive and swim underwater a 

distance of 6 to 10metres and 

demonstrate a simulated search pattern. 

2. Describe appropriate techniques for identifying potential casualties in the water 


i. Describe the 

characteristics of 

casualties in distress. 

Lifeguards need to be able to 

identify at risk individuals and 

describe visual cues to 

identify a casualty in 

distress/drowning. 

Requirement 

Lifeguards need to be able to identify 

casualties in order to illicit an appropriate 

response. 

Guideline 

Describe the characteristics of casualties 

in distress. 

ii. 

Describe surveillance 

methodology. 

Lifeguards need to 

demonstrate an 


Theory assessment 

Requirement 

Organisations need to develop standards



understanding of issues 

related to maintaining 

effective surveillance of 

assigned areas of 

responsibility, including: 

Fatigue 

Briefing/change over 

procedures 

Etc 



environment. 

Guideline 

Describe surveillance methodology. 



3. Describe the basic principles of managing aquatic (surf) and beach related 

emergencies 


i. Identify and describe 

the operational 

environment, related 

risks and local 

resources 

Lifeguards should have a 

preparation phase where 

they inform themselves of the 

potential resources available 

in an emergency. 

Requirement 

Lifeguards should be aware of the 

resources available to them as support 

and how to access those resources. 

Guideline 

ISO-31000 and the ILS Risk Assessment 

Guidelines provide a methodology as to 

the information required to inform the 

preparedness of a lifeguard operation 

ii. 

iii. 

Operational 

communications 

within a lifeguard 

team. 

Communicate safety 

information to the 

public. 

Lifeguards should be aware 

of the need to communicate 

relevant operational 

information within the 

lifeguard team to ensure a 

coordinated response and 

relay safety critical 

information during a rescue. 

Lifeguards should be aware 

of the need to communicate 

relevant safety information 

to the public both pre-arrival 

and on beach to prevent 

emergencies. 



Requirement 


importance of communication when 

responding to aquatic emergencies. 

Guideline 

Demonstrate ILS approved hand signals 


Scenario or theory assessments. 

Requirement 


resources available to educate the public 

and of the importance of preventative 

responses. 

Guideline 

ILS provides guidance safety messages 

appropriate to a range of environments 

and activities. 


Scenario or theory assessments.



3. Describe the basic principles of managing aquatic (surf) and beach related 

emergencies 


iv. 

Demonstrate 

principles of dynamic 

risk assessment and 

managing 

emergencies. 

Lifeguard will be faced with 

a range of potential hazards 

and emergencies, not all of 

which can be covered in 

training. It is therefore 

important for the lifeguard to 

understand the basic 

principles of applying their 

skills and knowledge to 

emergent situations. 

Requirement 

Lifeguards should be familiar with the 

principles of dynamic risk assessment 

and managing emergencies. 

Guideline 

ISO-31000 and the ILS Risk Assessment 

Guidelines provide a methodology that a 

lifeguard will be required to apply using 

skills and knowledge to develop and 

implement strategies to manage 

emergencies. 

Identify hazards 

 

 

Evaluate risk 

Treat the risk 

1. Identify and select strategies for 

water rescues and emergencies. 

2. Identify and solve potential 

problems for putting plans into 

place. 

3. Design a basic emergency 

management plan. 

4. Practice emergency action plan. 

5. Review and modify emergency 

management plan. 


Scenario assessment 

4. Demonstrate rescues with and without equipment 


i. Demonstrate rescues 

with equipment 

Candidates should 

demonstrate competency on 

equipment that they would be 

expected to use 

operationally. 

Requirement 




environment and utilise equipment 

relevant to the organisations operations. 

Guideline 

ILS organisations utilise a range of 

equipment types. Skills should be 

assessed in the operational environment. 

ii. 

Demonstrate rescues 

without equipment 

While it is recommended that 

equipment should always be 

used for rescues it is 

recognised that lifeguards 

may become separated from 


Perform rescue of conscious 

casualty 

Perform rescue of unconscious 

casualty 

Perform rescue with land based 

equipment 

Requirement 

Lifeguards should be familiar with 

casualty assessment, approaches and 

support/tows. Consideration should also 

be given to teaching escapes and



their equipment or encounter 

rescue situations when 

equipment is not available 

(i.e. during training). 

releases. 

Guideline 

Skills should be assessed in the 

operational environment. 


Demonstrate a safe approach and 

an escape or release 

Perform rescue of conscious 

casualty 

Perform rescue of unconscious casualty 

5. Demonstrate appropriate casualty care for common beach related injuries or illnesses 


i. Demonstrate basic 

life support 

Lifeguards must have the 

skills necessary to provide 

casualty care to a drowning 

victim. 

Requirement 

Lifeguards should be able to provide BLS 

to the drowning victim, including 

recognition of an emergency, ability to 

call an emergency response number, 

competence in chest compressions and 

in rescue breathing. 

Guideline 

ILCOR or Local resuscitation council or 

equivalent. 

ii. 

Demonstrate 

casualty care (first 

aid) 

Lifeguards should 

demonstrate competency to 

manage casualties with a 

range of illnesses and 

injuries common in an 

aquatic (beach/surf) 

environment. 


Demonstrate BLS, preferably on a 

resuscitation manikin 

Scenario and theory assessments. 

Requirement 

Lifeguards need to be able to identify 

and perform first aid techniques for 

managing injury and emergency 

including: 

 

 

 

 

Casualty management 

Identify and managing injuries (i.e. 

shock, fractures, arterial and venal 

bleeding, spinal injury etc.) 

Use of appropriate rescue and first 

aid equipment. 

Documenting as per organisational 

requirements 

Guideline 

ILCOR or local resuscitation council or 

equivalent 


Scenario and theory assessments. 

Range of Variables 

There are a number of variables that will affect the performance and assessment of the learning 

outcomes. These may include: 

Facilities 

Facilities and use of varying open water aquatic locations. Conditions of the venue. Identification 

of equipment that is available for use at that location.



 

 

 

Dress 

Candidates may be required to wear their recognised uniform; long shirt and pants or short shirt 

and pants during the assessment. 

Candidates 

Candidates will have relevant lifesaving experience and will be seeking or currently employed as a 

lifeguard. 

Resources 

ILS member organisations will list and identify the use of theoretical and practical resources 

available to them.

BOD 2012-2 MIN APP 10C - IFA - ILS Beach Lifeguard Award.pdf

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