Drone surveillance at Australian surf life saving titles to increase safety

They are used to spot sharks but now aerial drone surveillance will help keep thousands of Australian surf life savers safe at one of this country’s biggest sporting events from this weekend

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They are used to spot sharks but now hi-tech aerial drone surveillance will help keep thousands of Australian surf life savers safe at one of this country’s biggest sporting events from this weekend.

Surf Life Saving Australia officials say they have the required safeguards in place for the return of the national championships to the Gold Coast - close to where three competitors have lost their lives since 1996.

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A raft of safety changes have been made since the deaths of teenager Matthew Barclay in 2012, Saxon Bird in 2010 and Robert Gatenby in 1996, including the addition of the Westpac drone surveillance which will make its debut appearance on a daily basis at the annual carnival.

Athletes from 13 to 85 will be competing at the Australian surf life saving championships from this weekend. Pic: Harvie Allison.

A Westpac Lifesaver Drone will be used at the Australian championships which start this weekend.

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“It’s an extra tool for us, an extra resource in our toolbox and that’s always a good thing,” said Steve Lahey, chair of the event safety committee and CEO of Westpac Life Saver Rescue helicopter.

The eye in the sky will serve a multitude of purposes, from monitoring weather and sea state and helping with shark surveillance to being used to aid in a search and rescue mission if required.

The Australian championships return to the Gold Coast for 2019 and 2020 with the open and masters racing at Broadbeach – close to Kurrawa, where the lives were lost - and the youth racing at North Burleigh. There is provision for the event to be moved if required.

A full scale search mission was instigated when Matthew Barclay went missing.

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It is the first time the event has been held so close to the area where 14-year-old Matthew Barclay died in 2012. A coronial inquest found the teenager drowned after being knocked unconscious, possibly by his own board, while negotiating a shallow sandbank in rough seas at Kurrawa.

“I can never have enough tools to provide me with up to date information,’’ said open competition referee Wayne Druery of the drone surveillance. “As technology improves new things are being developed. Drones are a great example of that and have become available to us.’’

Australian surf life saving championships are one of eh biggest sporting events in the country. Pic Harvie Allison

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Druery, who rewrote the program at last year’s event so no lifesaver was on the beach when a wild storm swept Scarborough, says he has no qualms in calling competition off if he believes conditions warrant it.

“No problem at all,’’ he said. “We have been on a continued road of safety improvements and we are very keen to keep safety at the highest priority.’’

Any ocean sport is inherently dangerous with athletes battling the elements – waves, surf, rips and wind – during competition. They also battle these same factors in their voluntary roles as surf lifesavers patrolling beaches around the country.

Other procedures in place to protect athletes include a simulation of risk scenarios being run on Friday to test communication protocols, multi-tiered systems of advisory committees feeding the most accurate, expert and up-to-date information to officials and statisticians on the beach monitoring athlete and craft movement.

All officials are wired for sound with radios and mobile phones, daily briefings are held and feedback is sough from sources including the Bureau of Meteorology, independent risk managers and athlete representatives.

“We have safety experts all feeding into the safety communication,’’ Druery said.

“We have experts in the field to give us a complete picture of weather, conditions, etc, details of storms coming in days to come, swell prediction and we examine statistics from the day before which are very detailed.’’

Other safety measures in place at the carnival include compulsory helmets for surf boat crew in certain conditions, athletes wearing high visibility vests and jet skis and IRB’s in the water at all times monitoring racing,

SLSA has also developed a lightweight life jacket which will be for sale on-site.

Around 6000 competitors from Australia’s 314 surf clubs come together at the carnival competing in more than 450 events ranging from rescue tube rescue races to ironwoman, surf ski and taplin relay events.