Three Surf Life Saving Tasmania members joined lifesavers from across Australia for a national pilot designed to strengthen advanced powercraft and search and rescue capabilities.

From 10-14 September, 34 members gathered at Surf Life Saving WA’s South West Development Centre in Margaret River for the SLSA Powercraft Elective Pilot.

Representing Tasmania were Jesse Beveridge from Port Sorell SLSC, Allison Kable from Carlton Park SLSC and State Powercraft Advisor Hayden Earley.

The pilot tested advanced training resources for Inflatable Rescue Boats (IRBs) and Rescue Water Craft (RWCs), with participants completing a range of practical exercises including rock rescues, buoy laying, low-light operations and search and rescue scenarios.

For Beveridge, the five-day program provided an opportunity to work alongside experienced members from across the country and gain insight into different approaches to emergency response and search and rescue operations.

“The days were big, we were up at first light, loading gear and travelling to different locations to complete the day’s practical objectives on the water,” Beveridge said.

“We would then return for a debrief, review the modules we had completed and brief for the following day, working late into the night.”

The practical nature of the pilot allowed participants to test techniques in realistic environments, while also providing an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the new training resources.

“It was a great opportunity to represent Tasmania and work alongside experienced members from other states,” Beveridge said.

“Working with people from different areas always gives you a good insight into how other states operate and approach search and rescue.”

Participants also worked alongside Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, providing valuable exposure to multi-agency rescue operations.

“I came away with plenty of new ideas, techniques and different ways of approaching powercraft and Search and Rescue operations,” he said.

“In particular, there was a lot we could take back to the state’s Emergency Response Teams, Duty Officers and Search and Rescue Operations.”

The pilot also highlighted the value of creating opportunities for lifesavers to learn from one another and test advanced techniques in challenging environments. Hayden Earley echoed this sentiment.

“I think these opportunities are really valuable. They give us the chance to build on the skills we already have, learn new ways to do things and get experience in situations we might not come across very often in Tassie. It also gives us the chance to bring those skills and knowledge back and pass it on to other members,” said Earley.

The learnings from the pilot are already being considered for future training opportunities in Tasmania, with a number of areas identified for inclusion in upcoming Emergency Response Team training days.

“This type of training will be really valuable for members across Tasmania. It gives them the opportunity to build their skill set beyond the standard awards, take that knowledge back to their clubs and be better prepared to work alongside other emergency services when needed. It will help strengthen our overall capability across the state,” Earley said.

The pilot represents an important step in developing consistent, advanced powercraft capability across Surf Life Saving Australia, while giving members the opportunity to share knowledge and best-practice rescue techniques between states and with other emergency response agencies.