We acknowledge that recent events have raised concerns regarding water safety following the shark incident at our beach.
In collaboration with our team, the Northern Beaches Council, Surf Life Saving NSW, and SNB Branch, we are implementing enhanced safety measures to ensure individuals feel confident returning to the water and so our community can once again fully enjoy North Steyne Beach.
UAVs
You might have noticed the drones on our beach, and this service will continue to the end of the season. Drones are scheduled to provide water surveillance from 9am-4pm each day and will do 2 flights/hour. Depending on the conditions, the drones and their pilots will be located either immediately north or south of the Club. Please be aware of the restriction zone around the drones in order for the pilots to operate them safety and to keep all beach goers out of harm’s way.
The UAV operators are both volunteer and paid drone pilots provided by the Australian UAV Service, which is part of SLSNSW. In fact, the NSW Premer announced $4.2m in funding in order to provide enhanced UAV services to beaches across NSW and North Steyne is one of the new locations.
We will be holding UAV pilot training for those interested in becoming a drone operator. Please contact Jodie Frazer at [email protected] to register your interest.
IRBs
We have increased the frequency of IRBs on the water to scout for sharks, clear any bait balls and scare sharks away as they do not like the noise of the motors. Additional IRBs will be run during the week-end patrols, Nippers and training sessions, as required.
You will also see more jet skis on the water. These are provided both by SNB Branch and Council to assist with surveillance, deterrence and overall safety.
Lifeguards and Northern Beaches Council
Of course, we continue working closely with the Lifeguard and communicating with them about our operational needs and concerns. We have already been provided some new equipment so the Club can issue shark warnings. We are also working on other operational improvements for managing such incidents.
The Northern Beaches Council, including Mayor Sue Heins, has been in close contact with us following the incident, and we appreciate their support and concern.
Other Member Support
We were very grateful that Lifeline Northern Beaches was at our Club for 5 days following the shark attack to provide support to our members and the wider community. Thank you to CEO Sarah Grattan for reaching out and offering the service and putting it place immediately.
If you want to talk about it, they are there for you and provide 24 hour crisis support –
Call 13 11 14
Converge International is Surf Life Saving’s Member Assistance Provider and offers free, confidential counselling to any member. There is no referral needed and there are multiple ways you can book an appointment with a counsellor from Converge International.
Call 1300 687 327 and advise you are from Surf Life Saving and provide your name and club. The reservation line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Appointments can also be made by visiting https://convergeinternational.com.au using the Book Appointment button at the top of the home page or through the Live Chat. You can quote the organisational code SLSNSW and provide your name and club.
Please feel free to reach out to any of the Club’s board members to discuss your concerns and/or provide suggestions to help us improve what we do.