The Australian Surf Life Saving Association is the largest organization in the world, as it is the pioneer body that started surf lifesaving program. The Association is the body that manages the lifesavers’ activities and manages the security of the people at the beach. Surf Life Saving originated in Australia due to the presence of many people living along the coastline; hence, the need for their safety. The residents in Australia use the beach for fun activities, swimming, hanging out together, and also for sporting activities. The administration of the association is, therefore, a key factor in Australia, as the beach has to be managed properly.
The administration of the Surf Life Saving in Australia is managed by the professional lifesavers that have been doing the job for a long time. The administration gives the lifesavers an opportunity to use their skills on the Australian beaches and the world at large; especially on the call services, where they visit other countries and are posted on other beaches. The mission of the Association of surf lifesaving is to provide the maximum safety for the people of Australia along the beaches and other aquatic regions in Australia. They carry out this mission by making the daily patrols during the day, as well as at night, and they provide education on the coastal dangers and risks of living or swimming along the beach for the residents.
The vision of the Association is to enlarge their services to the entire country and the world at large, and to promote the activity as both a career and a sport. Thir mission also involves training of the surf lifesavers on the beach life and other activities, such as First Aid and CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) services. The initial step after a rescue is to provide the First Aid to the victims, as well as CPR, if necessary. A professional surfer has to be trained on the ways to carry out these services on their own in case of a rescue. The administration has to control that all members of the Association are well equipped with the necessary skills and knowhow on the rescue operations and other safety related programs.
The strategy used by the administration of the Association with regard to the training is quite simple. The training is offered to people from the age of fifteen, where they are given a clear insight on the safety measures required on the beach and the ways to conduct patrols. The training occurs for only a few hours and the individuals undergo a practical test; thereafter, they take a theoretical examination to ensure their competence. Only the qualified trainees with a bronze medallion are given the certificate to permit them to be a part of the patrol team. The qualification is based on their knowledge and skills on the First Aid, resuscitation, and rescues.
Another strategic plan employed by the administration involves the recruitment of the best swimmers and people, who are professional surfers, as part of their trainees. The groups are chosen through the surfing competitions that take place on the beach. These events help the administration in recruiting the best swimmers for their association. The Association is, therefore, contained of the well-trained professional surfers, who eventually become the lifeguards. The trained persons are undergoing a specific examination on the annual basis in order to ensure that they are still fit for patrols and life saving. The administration is strict on the competence of the lifesavers.
In addition, to make the work fun, the administration creates the events that help to motivate the life savers in their line of duty. Surfing is not only a profession but a sport that can be enjoyed by those in the beach. The Association creates as many events as possible to ensure their mission is enhanced by sharpening the skills of its members. The events include all parts of training: the First Aid as well as resuscitation competitions. Another popular event is the long boat rescue, where they use boats to show how swift they can be in a rescue operation, where the waves are generally risky. The members, therefore, compete in surfing as a sport in order to sharpen their skills. Other events that the Association’s administration organizes are on the beach sprints, march past, and also surf skiing.
If one was a CEO of the Association and was responsible for all the administrative work, then ensuring that all the rules are followed would have been the key role. Achieving any goal comes through discipline and ensuring that all members conduct their work according to the code of ethics of the surf lifesavers. The life at the beach is generally risky at night, but some life savers still insist on having fun at night by competing among themselves. This is a habit that puts them in danger, as well as the members of the public never see the need to follow the rules, as the same people giving them the rules go against them. The whole idea as a CEO is to ensure that the Association’s members lead the public by example. This will minimize the number of deaths at the beach at night, as well as the quantity of the sudden rescue operations.
So far most of the standards targeted by the administration of Australian surf lifesavers have been met. The administration has ensured that a large number of surf lifesavers are in position, especially during the holidays ,when the beach is full to capacity; hence, providing enough protection for the residents, as well as for the tourists. The administration ensures the same takes effect during the weekend, when most people are free to visit the beach; hence, giving the people of Australia a safe stay at the beach. Providing the Association with the best trained professionals is a great achievement for the organization, as they have been able to make thousands of rescues in the coastline of Australia and the world at large.
The administration is well organized and has much strength that enables its efficiency in the work they do. The Association has obtained the worldwide support; being a non-profit organization, a number of sponsors promote the work the Association does at the beaches. This world wide support and popularity have seen many clubs producing the best surfers in the world during the competitions, where the participants gain awards. Another main strength of the administration is the lack of completion from other clubs in the world. The Australian Surf Life Saving Association is the best one in the world, and during the rescue operations the team is called to conduct the operations even in the far ends of Australia. The Association is, therefore, equipped with the best surfers in the world.
The administration, however, faces a number of challenges in managing the Asssociation, whereby these weaknesses tend to pull down the surfers professions. The main weakness they face as a non-profit organization in the inability to brand themselves worldwide. The Association is popular in Australia, but the extension of it is faced with a huge challenge, as they have to recruit other members from other parts of the world. Australia alone cannot serve all the coastlines of the world; hence, their extension is rather a hectic situation. Being a non-profit organization, the volunteer work can get cumbersome, where the roles are not well established in the Asssociation. Voluntary work needs passionate people; hence, the survival of the Association is always at risk, as the members can quit anytime.
Following the mentioned weaknesses and challenges faced by the administration of the Surf Life Saving, the Association is prone to extinction at some point. This is due to the fact that the organization is based on the voluntary work, as well as the running of operations is not necessarily secure for the surf lifesavers. The nature of the beach can be unpredictable and most people find it hard to risk their lives for others, especially in case of a tsunami. The natural calamities of the beach are a huge threat to the Association, as it may lose its members through deaths or quits. However, the administration must look into exploiting the beaches neighboring the Australian coastline, as this will provide their extension. A joint management team across countries is possible, so as to enhance communication among the organizations with the same objectives.
The main recommendation that has to be quickly employed by the Association is to provide training to the visitors from other countries. Through this program the Association might be able to extend its boundaries, where their services will expand to other countries. The training takes about twenty hours, and offering it to the visitors, who will also practice after, can be a huge step into promoting safety along the beaches of the world. The high number of visitors, who go to Australia, can be trained in groups and the program can be free, so as to attract more people. The training must be conducted in a friendly and fun way in order to ensure that people get the basic skills. This is a program, which is easy to start, as the Assocaition will use its own members as trainers.
In conclusion, administration of the Australian Surf Life Saving Association is quite a responsibility, but with the correct team of the well-trained members its mission is easily achieved. The administration has done a competent job in ensuring the safety of people at the Australian coastlines and expansion of the Association can give exemplary results all over the world. The participation of all races and countries in surf lifesaving is a necessity, so as to curb the security of all coastlines all over the world. This extension would see to it that the vision of the Australian Surf Life Saving Assocaition is met.