The Minns Labor Government has today announced $380,000 in rescue capability and communication grants to enhance the safety and well-being of our coastal communities.
The Water Safety Communications Grant, totalling $300,000, will fund a pilot water safety messaging campaign coordinated by Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA). This initiative, known as the "Stop. Look. Stay Alive." campaign, will see SLSA work with other water safety organisations to deliver a collaborative campaign that promotes consistent water safety messaging across multiple water-related activities and demographics throughout NSW.
The multi-organisation campaign aims to improve awareness of water safety risks, promote water-safe behaviour and enhance overall water safety outcomes in the community.
The NSW Government is also enhancing the existing Rescue Capability Grant with $80,000 to fund the installation of rescue tubes at Emergency Response Beacon (ERB) locations along the NSW coast. This initiative, managed by Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW), aims to boost safety and rescue capability on the NSW coast, particularly at remote and unpatrolled locations.
The rescue tubes will be alarmed and monitored, providing immediate notification to SLSNSW when a tube is deployed.
In addition to these advancements, SLSNSW is developing an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) capability that can be rapidly deployed upon activation and controlled from a remote operation centre, significantly expanding the reach and speed of emergency response.
This Drone in a Box (DIAB) capability is currently a prototype and is the next step in establishing long-range, beyond visual line of sight operations under development with and funded by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development through the Shark Management Program. If testing proves successful, a DIAB would have the capability to be stationed at various locations across the state, offering the ability to remotely launch and utilise a drone without delay from an established control centre.
Currently, drones operate visually within 1 kilometre of the operator depending on weather conditions. Testing is currently underway on the DIAB, which can travel up to 5 kilometres from its base and remain in the air for up to 40 minutes.
Existing drone technology has already been deployed to 50 beaches and last year recorded more than 42,000 flights, 11,000 flight hours and 200,000 km flown to make NSW beaches safer.
The expansion of this life saving technology comes after the Minister for Emergency Services convened a roundtable on coastal water safety in March, in response to an increase in coastal drownings at unpatrolled locations over recent years.
Addressing the number of coastal deaths in unpatrolled and isolated locations is a key priority for the NSW Government. These grants are part of the record $71.2 million investment made in Surf Life Saving NSW over the four years from 2023-24 to 2026-27.
Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:
"The rise in coastal drownings at unpatrolled beaches is deeply concerning and this funding represents our proactive approach to addressing this issue head-on."
"Our investment in the 'Stop. Look. Stay Alive.' campaign underscores our commitment to ensuring every person who enjoys our beautiful coastline does so with a clear understanding of water safety."
"It's not just about better emergency response - water safety is a shared responsibility that requires a united effort to get the message out to our diverse communities. Building awareness in communities and our wider investment in preventative actions all contribute to our efforts to save lives."
"The installation of alarmed rescue tubes on Emergency Rescue Beacons is a game-changer in our efforts to enhance coastal water safety at unpatrolled locations, giving a first responder access to a vital floatation device if they decide to attempt a rescue."
"The new Drone in a Box (DIAB) capability could represent a significant leap forward in emergency response technology by enabling rapid, remote deployment and long-range operations."
Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:
"This innovation builds on our existing drone fleet funded under our Shark Management Program, which has already made a tremendous impact across 50 NSW beaches."
"We are working closely across Government and with Surf Life Saving NSW to ensure shark management on our beaches is an integral part of the overall water safety approach."
"Significant investment is essential to delivering impactful, life-saving messages and technologies that will protect our community and visitors alike."
"We are poised to enhance the safety of our coastline like never before."
CEO of Surf Life Saving NSW Steve Pearce said:
"There's no silver bullet for reducing drownings, but the suite of measures the Government is helping to fund will have an impact. A targeted public safety campaign along with expanding our drone technology this summer are positive initiatives."
