At the end of the APOLA conference, several council Lifeguards assisted PAQUA to determine the long-held belief that UHF/VHF radio equipment worn by Lifeguards whilst on their boards, could assist in providing even better outcomes for patients and team-members alike.
Seeing if the arm-mounted packs/radios hindered movement was key to determining the success of this application. Deano and Harries, of the Bondi Lifeguards gave their time to trial the pack and radio combination in a decent 3-4 foot swell.
The PAQUA pack and radio worked flawlessly, and the guys agreed the communication ability provided by wearing the radio in the water was a positive step. Stay tuned for further roll-outs in the 2009/2010 Summer Season...
Big thanks to Deano and Harries for their help with this trial.
Date:
01/05 2009
Type:
Product Trial - Under Simulated Rescue Conditions.
Event:
APOLA Conference 2009
Photos: (Click to Enlarge)
Events Details
Location:
Dangerous Banks,
NW Tasmania , Australia
On Friday the 27th of June 2008 Big Wave charger Ross Clarke-Jones, 2x world Champion Tom Carroll, Hawaiian Ian Walsh and a crew of locals pulled off a world 1st and surfed the mythical wave of Dangerous Banks in North West Tasmania.
Bondi Lifeguard Rod "Kerrbox" Kerr headed up the crucial Water Safety Patrol - consisting of several jet-skis, power boats and a chopper.
Being 50kms from the closest medical facility, Rodd's Water Patrol crew would provide immediate response to any emergency - communications support is key to this response.
PAQUA provided clear and practical support in this process, with all Water Patrol crew carrying radio equipment housed in the water-proof, legendary PAQUAclear.
"With my regular use of PAQUA products down on Bondi Beach in my role as a Lifeguard, there was no alternative to the PAQUAclear for the Dangerous Banks shoot. Far away from medical help, we needed to rely on our communications housed inside the PAQUA for the most practical and immediate response time. PAQUA will be back with us, on the next production of Storm Surfers."
Rodd Kerr, Waverley Council Lifeguard
Water Patrol Co-ordinator and Safety Advisor
Date:
Shoot June 2008
Film Release Australian Summer 08/09
Merimbula turned on the conditions for kite surfers,wave sailors and SUP surfers over the four days making number 28 (years!!) one of the best events on record.
In what could best be described as a celebration of wind and waves, competitors revelled in four days of fantastic surf and wind.
There was something to suit each discipline each day with waves from 2 to 6 feet and wind up to almost 30 knots.
The glassy mornings provided ideal SUP conditions and then as the wind came up each day the wave sailors and kite surfers took to the water in a spectacle of colour and action.
Over 160 competitors entered the event this year arriving from Hawaii, NZ, Denmark, Holland, France and around Australia.
Various Beaches along the WA / TAS / SA / NSW coastline (Australia)
Further to meetings held with key state SLSA representatives at Surf Lifesaving Australia HQ in Bondi Beach, PAQUA products were utilised during further product evaluation and equipment sourcing seminars, in preparation for Summer 2008/2009.
We are proud to say that the addition of SLSA WA, SLSA TAS , SLSA NSW and SLSA SA have all come on-board with PAQUA - utlising the PAQUAclear and PAQUAmobile to improve communications with IRB Patrols, Jetski Patrols and beach patrol units.
We look forward to the continuation and evolution of further SLSA club additions over the coming years. A special thanks to goes out to the respective State Co-ordinators for their time and input
After several months of water-proof equipment testing, the PAQUAmobile was introduced as standard equipment to the GCCC Jetski crew.
Many of Lifeguard crews have been using the larger PAQUAclear and PAQUAoriginal for several years, but with the introduction of smaller radios, and the new release of the PAQUAmobile Gen2 - the opportunity to down-size the water-proof housing for the GCCC Lifeguards was too good an opportunity to pass up.
Thanks to Peter Miller for the comprehensive product evaluation during Lifeguard PWC Training in late 2008 - leading to the final appraisal and recommendation of the PAQUAmobile being introduced into the GCCC PWC kit - could this signal a trend towards smaller radios and packs in the future ??
In addition to the regular duties performed by the Surf Lifesaving and Lifeguards, regular inspections of the shark nets located off many of Sydneys beaches are checked not only by the licensed operators, but by the Council Lifeguards patrolling the beaches 365 days/year.
After 3 shark attacks in as many weeks in Feb-Mar 2009, there has been an added requirement to evaluate the status of the shark nets around Sydney's beaches.
PAQUA water-proof radio housings have again been used in shark patrols, to convey shark positions and movements back to the ground-staff and helicopter crews.
We wish all those involved in the latest round of shark attacks, a speedy recovery.
Date:
February - March, 2009
Type:
Shark Net Evaluations;
Shark sighting verification
Photos: (Click to Enlarge)
