SeeClearlyNow founder wins National Aquatic Industry Safety Award

Gary Johnson, founder of the SeeClearlyNow aquatic supervision and safety program, has been awarded the ‘Excellence in Aquatic Safety by an Individual’ as part of the inaugural Royal Life Saving Society - Australia National Aquatic Industry Safety Awards.

​The awards are an initiative of the National Aquatic Industry Safety Committee to acknowledge the achievements of aquatic facilities and individuals towards improving health and safety outcomes within their communities.

With winners in the Awards’ seven categories being announced consecutively over nine working days, Craig Roberts, Royal Life Saving’s National Manager Aquatic Industry, explains “Gary was recognised for his passion and dedication to the aquatic industry through his safety and training initiatives.”

Working as a young lifeguard, in 2001 Johnson’s life changed when a toddler tragically drowned at the facility where he worked.

From this came SeeClearlyNow's Pool Supervision Program, which has seen him dedicate his life to make aquatic facilities safer places, continuing to implement lessons that he learnt that day.

​Johnson teaches aquatic staff to ‘never look at a pool the same way again,’ training lifeguards to identify the barriers to effective supervision present at their aquatic facility and helped them to develop strategies for managing them.

​Johnson began his water safety career in 1986 as a surf life saver with Sydney’s Burning Palms SLSC, holding various positions ranging from Patrol Captain to Club Captain. He also spent time on the Cronulla-Sutherland Offshore Rescue Boat during that period.

His experience with emergency planning, training and response then benefited from two decades as a Pool Lifeguard, time as a Rescue Crewman with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter (New England Northwest) and as a soldier in the Australian Army Reserve (Royal Australian Armoured Corps).

Further National Aquatic Industry Safety Awards will be announced over the coming days.

Click here for more information on Johnson’s Award.

Images courtesy of Royal Life Saving Society - Australia.

7th August 2017 - NEW ROYAL LIFE SAVING AWARDS RECOGNISE HOPPERS CROSSING’S AQUAPULSE 

21st April 2017 - ROYAL LIFE SAVING LAUNCHES NATIONAL AQUATIC INDUSTRY SAFETY AWARDS

2nd February 2017 - POOL SUPER VISION COMPLETES TRAINING OF 600 LIFEGUARDS: LOOKS TO FUTURE

25th November 2016 - ROYAL LIFE SAVING FORMS COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE GUIDELINES FOR SAFE POOL OPERATIONS 

24th February 2016 - POOL SUPER VISION TECHNIQUE ADOPTED AT FIRST NEW ZEALAND FACILITY 

3rd February 2015 - AUSTRALIAN POOL SUPER VISION TO BE SHOWCASED TO US AQUATIC PROFESSIONALS 

25th September 2013 - POOL SAFETY PROGRAM WINS STATE AWARD