April CEO Update
The summer patrol season has drawn to a close, and our volunteer lifesavers and paid lifeguards should be so proud of all they have achieved!
Clubs officially went Flags Down last weekend to mark the end of the 2025/26 season, during which volunteer lifesavers and paid lifeguards performed 631 rescues and 1,465 first-aid interventions.
I thank and commend everyone who stepped up to keep our community safe in the water. As always, you have represented the lifesaving movement with distinction and dedication.
With lifesavers and lifeguards no longer on patrol, help is further away, so I encourage everyone in our community to take extra care when recreating in, on and around Victoria’s beaches and waterways.
Water safety and drowning prevention need to be front-of-mind for our community all year round. Tragically, 42 people have drowned in Victoria this financial year; and while this is down on record numbers in previous years, one drowning is one too many.
Incidents from unintentional entry into the water are of particular concern at this time of year, in which people slip, trip and fall into the water. Tragically, these incidents make up more than a third of all drownings in Victoria and tend to increase across Autumn and Winter when water safety risks are underestimated.
Please be sure to watch your footing on wet and unstable ground such as coastal rock platforms and riverbanks, check conditions, read safety signs and wear a lifejacket when boating or rock fishing – and please keep a look out for others who may not see the risks.
Remember that your local public pool is among the safest places to swim and enjoy the water, with lifeguards always on duty. They’re a great place to visit any time of year, particularly if you or your loved ones aren’t confident in the water.
Swimming lessons and water safety education are also vitally important — yet we know that lesson participation often drops away over the cooler months. I urge all students, parents, and carers to continue these important sessions, ensuring you and your loved ones have the skills and knowledge to enjoy the water safely all year round.
Our Education team and our aquatic industry partners remain at full-throttle with their efforts. In the financial year to date, our team has reached a record 37,000 participants in programs delivered across classrooms, beaches, rivers and lakes statewide, with a further 4,000 supported through delivery partners – an incredible achievement!
Our Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Delivery Unit is also on track to provide programs to a record 32,000 people this financial year.
I thank our Education team, our D&I team and our partners for their invaluable work in this space.
Whether you’re looking to brush up on your swimming skills, or taking that first step to learning how to swim, get down to your local public pool or swim school and book in. Remember, swimming lessons are for all ages, and they can be started at any time or life stage.
In the knowledge that more than 50% of Victorian children haven’t achieved basic water safety proficiency by age 12, we’re also bringing together key stakeholders from schools, families and swim schools next month for an LSV Think Tank on strengthening the communication pathways that support children’s water safety education.
Water safety is everyone’s responsibility, and we all need to play our part to prevent drowning. Together, we can save lives and empower communities to safely enjoy water.
Finally, I’d like to commend everyone involved in the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships that ran in the Gold Coast earlier this month. Congratulations to all competitors for representing Victoria at the national competition, and a special thank you to all of those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make the event possible – you did Victoria proud!
Yours in lifesaving,
Cath