APOLA’s 26th National Conference heads to the Gold Coast

Extending an invitation to any person or organisation who have an interest in water safety to attend, the Australian Pool and Ocean Lifeguard Association (APOLA) is counting down to its 26th Annual Conference.

Hosted by the City of Gold Coast - which manages Australia’s largest ocean lifeguard service - the event will be held on Currumbin Beach, at the Currumbin Beach Vikings Surf Lifesaving Club and the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre in Southport on 4th and 5th May.

With the nexus between risk and water being constant, how risk is managed and the limiting of exposure to costly litigation will feature strongly at this year’s conference.

Among those presenting will be Bruce ‘Hoppo’ Hopkins, APOLA President and President of Surf Educators International (SEI).

Hopkins believes that “having well thought out pool and beach supervision plans is essential to minimising guarded drownings and serious accidents”.

After decades of supervising Sydney's Bondi Beach, one of the world’s busiest beaches, Hopkins believes there is room for improvement with specialised lifeguard training when it comes to supervision and victim recognition, adding “it is all about constant surveillance and a quick response.

“If we can minimise the time from when somebody is in trouble to when help arrives, we maximise their chance of survival.”

Click here for details on the APOLA Conference in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

Images: The City of Gold Coast operates Australia’s largest ocean lifeguard service (top) and the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre in competition mode (below).