While Voluntary Surf Life Saving is practiced in many countries around the world including America, New Zealand, Germany, South Africa and Ireland, it originated in Australia in 1906.

While originally started to save lives, surf lifesaving has now become a competitive. Beaches throughout the world have lifesavers offering bathers protection on holidays, public holidays and weekends. These volunteers constantly patrol the beaches.

Local government usually hires and pays lifeguards to patrol beaches full time and they offer opportunities for volunteers to help out. First aid, safety advice and rescue services are provided to people at these types of venues such as pools and lakes where people may swim or bathe. This is a much needed and valued service to members of the public.

People who give their time freely for the purposes of saving lives are called volunteers. A patrol captain will supervise these volunteers and administer a roster for the volunteers. He or she will also coordinate and monitor the rescue missions.

Training to become a volunteer lifeguard is extensive and one cannot be a lifeguard without training and certification. The various life saving clubs offer training and certificates. The Bronze Medallion is mandatory and is also known as a Certificate II in public safety and aquatic rescue. This extensive course covers all aspects of life guarding work and includes: Patrolling in a power craft, occupational health and safety, different terrains of beaches, wave patterns, currents, resuscitation, first aid, communication, radio communication, different rescue methods and other aspects of rescue work. Once the volunteer has completed and passed the course, they are able to become a lifeguard.

There are various types of equipment used for the purposes of saving lives. These include apparatus for tricky environments and hazards and are made available to the volunteer lifeguard. Some of the apparatus would include all terrain vehicles, jet skis or wave runners, oxygen tanks and rescue boards.

Voluntary Surf Life Saving has continued to provide a good and much needed service. There is no doubt that more volunteers are always welcome to sign up to perform this selfless task.

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