THE PATROLLING season has kicked off once again at the Hervey Bay Surf Life Saving Club, the iconic red and yellow flags are a well known sight on Torquay Beach.

The Hervey Bay patrol season runs from September through May each year and is run solely by volunteers. The volunteers provided over 3100 hours of beach patrolling during the 2022-23 season, supporting an estimated 53,500 members of the public along the foreshore of the bay. During this period the Hervey Bay SLSC patrol members attended to 184 first aid cases and 7 rescues.

A spokesperson for the club says their volunteers are very well trained. “Surf lifesavers are all first aid trained and many have further qualifications including advanced resuscitation and advanced first aid training”, he says.

Patrolling lifesavers have access to many resources for search and rescue purposes including Rescue Boards, Inflatable Rescue Boat’s, JetSki, All-Terrain Vehicle and soon with Aerial Drone capabilities.

While our beach is notorious for its smooth, calm conditions, it can still present with dangers. “The northerly winds and strong currents can surprise those who may not be experienced in these water conditions. As the mercury rises, swimmers must also be conscious of marine stingers”, says the club spokesperson.

Surf lifesavers are encouraging beach goers to swim between the flags and always check the conditions before going in the water.

The Hervey Bay Surf Life Saving Club are always on the look out for volunteers, if you’d like to gain new skills and qualifications, or volunteer in any capacity, please get in contact with the club via admin@herveybaysurfclub.com or check out the Facebook page.