Plans and Procedures

An Emergency Action Plan provides clear, coordinated instructions for responding to foreseeable emergencies within an aquatic facility, waterway or program environment. It helps staff understand their roles, make timely decisions and take effective action when an incident occurs.

Royal Life Saving develops plans covering relevant emergency scenarios, which may include drowning, missing persons, serious injuries, medical emergencies, severe weather, fire, evacuation and hazardous material incidents. Each plan outlines responsibilities, communication and escalation processes, emergency equipment, evacuation arrangements and coordination with emergency services. Staff training, drills, testing and review requirements are incorporated to help ensure the plan remains current, understood and operationally effective.

A Supervision Plan establishes how lifeguards and other responsible personnel will be deployed to effectively monitor aquatic environments and respond to changing risks. It provides clear direction on staffing, positioning, responsibilities and escalation requirements across different operating conditions.

Royal Life Saving through Drowning Prevention Australia develops plans that reflect the facility’s layout, activities, patron groups, operating hours and identified hazards. The plan may address supervision zones, lifeguard numbers, scanning practices, rotations, elevated-risk activities, reduced visibility and responses to changing patron loads. By documenting a facility-specific approach, the Supervision Plan supports consistent decision-making, strengthens staff accountability and helps ensure supervision resources are targeted where they are most needed.

A Water Safety Plan provides a structured approach to identifying, assessing and managing drowning and aquatic safety risks within a facility, waterway or community environment. It establishes the priorities, responsibilities and actions required to improve safety and reduce the likelihood of serious incidents.

Royal Life Saving through Drowning Prevention Australia works with organisations to understand the local environment, patterns of use, priority populations and existing safety arrangements. The plan may address risk controls, signage, public education, access and egress, emergency preparedness, partnerships and ongoing monitoring. Each Water Safety Plan includes practical, prioritised actions that support coordinated decision-making, guide future investment and establish a clear framework for measuring improvements in water safety over time.