About the Foundation
The Royal Life Saving Society is working to equip Australians with safety in the water. Its purpose is to facilitate lifestyles that are healthy and to prevent drowning by teaching necessary water skills. Reasons of drowning cannot be narrowed down to one. This is why the foundation takes into account all sorts of possibilities and complexities, because of which someone can drown while they are in water.
The stakeholders of the organization are diverse. They come from various backgrounds, have different beliefs are values. If they are to be dealt with simultaneously then a strategy that is all encompassing needs to be devised.
This life saving strategy is driven by strong partnerships that play their role effectively. The promotion and advocacy is based on reliable evidence and is innovative in nature to enhance the quality programs and services. The foundation continues to serve in commitment as a national organization. The patron of the foundation is His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd).
Areas of Action
The organization is dynamic in action and turns everyday people into lifesavers of the community. It basically harnesses the strength of the community by reducing drowning. Areas of activity in which the foundation works is raising awareness regarding the need and purpose of the foundation. It provides training, education and promotes health of people so that they are encouraged to live a healthy lifestyle. The Royal Life Saving Society is also active in Aquatic Risk Management and the development of the community. It creates partnership at the national as well as the international level. It promotes sport, participation and leadership. With the media and marketing at aid, the society is active in playing its role.
The basic idea
The foundation believes that lifesavers are not just employed on the beach; in fact, they are everywhere in the society. Everyone from the plumber to the most refined accountant can be a lifesaver. They are always around us, patrolling the homes, waterparks, and workplaces. They may necessarily not wear a uniform but they do save lives.
Programs
Australia’s largest water safety education provider is the Royal Life Saving Society. The programs conducted are delivered in community centres, in schools and in pools on a daily basis. The purpose is to create awareness amongst people about the safety of life and the prevention of accidents in an aquatic environment. For this people need to be armed with preventative skills and rescue skills. Below are a few programs mentioned:
Keep Watch
This program has been designed to prevent drowning of children who are below five years of age. For this purpose, carers and parents have been taking counseling sessions under the Keep Watch program for over 15 years. They are taught how to care for the kids when they are in water or anywhere near.
Swim and Survive
This water safety initiative aims towards equipping children with swimming skills so that drowning is prevented. When swimming and water safety skills are enhanced, the chances of accidents are greatly reduced. This is a program that runs at the national level. In addition to swimming techniques, essential components for safety in water and survival are also ensured under this program.
Bronze Medallion
For over 100 years, the benchmark of lifesavers all over the world has been the Bronze Medallion award. It is awarded to lifesavers who have the ability to rescue people from water in an efficient and safe manner. The “Bronze” builds the necessary knowledge and skills that are needed to actually perform acts like these. These skills will aid the lifesaver for lifetime.
Grey Medallion
As the name suggests, this program is for the grey haired adults. Water safety and lifesaving skills are taught to older adults so that they can take part in all water recreational activities in a safe manner. It encourages a lifestyle that is independent, healthy and active.
Home Pool Safety
As much as the home pool is a source of enjoyment, it is often taken for granted when it comes to safety. The location of the pool is risky as it may cause accidents like drowning, in particular for kids who are five years or below. The Home Pool Safety Program advises on how to make the home pool safe for kids and others who may drown. This includes safety measures in and around the pool.
Lifesaving Sport
This sport is truly existent for a humanitarian purpose and thus it is an important part of the Royal Life Saving Society in Australia. For those who want to learn more than just swimming, this is a perfect thing. It develops the lifesaving skills, hones the skills and techniques, and it adds an extra dimension to swimming where the exercise is not merely an exercise; rather it is more. Confidence builds up and style grooms when participants join the program. It does not matter where you live or what age group you belong to, there is plenty of enjoyment and learning for everyone in this program.
This program also provides guidelines on doping and prepares the athletes for any change.
Get Involved
Make Donations
People can make donations to help people from drowning or dying because of other water accidents. The organization believes that everyone can be a lifesaver; so whether you are from another country or from Australia, you will be able to play your role in making lifesavers anywhere in the world.
Swim and Survive Fund
Because of water safety education not reaching everyone, around fifty people below 17 years of age die each year in Australia. The organization’s target is to educate 10000 children with water safety education and you can help them meet this target by participating yourself or by funding.
Global Drowning Fund
This fund drives the efforts of the organization towards child drowning cases in Asia where approximately 200,000 children die every year due to drowning. This has only been discovered recently and needs to be dealt with on an urgent basis. In order to manage the difficult task of doing so, donations, funds and help is desperately required by the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia.
