SLSA Skills Maintenance Gap Analysis

Member Education Support

Updated: July 2025

Managed and updated by SLSA yearly, the Skills Maintenance Gap Analysis indicates the changes in the various awards over the years to enable the necessary updates to be given to the member in the form of an in-depth proficiency.

Members who have not remained proficient for any period may not be required to complete their award again and should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis with their club training officer by conducting a Returning Member Assessment. The guideline set by the National Education Committee is that a period of five or more years would require re-completion of the award; however, the experience of the individual member should always be considered.

Awards: All Resuscitation Awards including SRC, BM, First Aid, ART
Season: Change:
2009/10
• Ratio of compressions to breaths in CPR changed to 30:2
• Defibrillation awareness added
• ‘D’ added to DRABCD, defibrillation
2011/12
• ‘S’ added to DRSABCD, send for help
2012/13
• Treatment of anaphylaxis, using an autoinjector
2013/14
• Infant resuscitation on a manikin to be assessed in all CPR training
2014/15
• Victim’s airway and breathing is routinely assessed on their back – they are only rolled if necessary to clear foreign matter
2015/16
• Specified number of scenarios and 2 minutes of uninterrupted CPR on:
- an adult manikin on the floor;
- an infant manikin on a stable surface to be assessed in all CPR training
2016/17
• Rate of CPR compressions changed to 100-120 compressions per minute
2025/26
• Lifesaving CPR introduced by some States (including SA)
Award: Advanced Resuscitation Techniques only
2010/11
• Suction introduced
• SLSA awards Advanced Resuscitation Certificate and Defibrillation Certificate replaced with Advanced Resuscitation Techniques Certificate
2014/15 • Assessment of vital signs: Respirations, Pulse and Temperature, completion of incident report, and 3x scenario to be assessed
Award: Bronze Medallion
2011/12
• IRB awareness added
2012/13
• Two new signals added:
- submerged patient missing (Code X);
- all clear
2013/14
• 34th edition training manual released
• Theory paper added to skills maintenance assessment
• Revision of safety while working in a beach environment; surf awareness and rip current survival principles; how oxygen is used in team resuscitation; use of whistles as communication; identifying distressed and drowning victims; surveillance methods and beach management
• Addition of use of swim fins as a basic survival technique; information on the lymphatic system; stroke; anaphylaxis; the phonetic alphabet; 3 person walk up spinal
• Removal of in-water rescue breathing; 5-person spinal carry
2016/17
• 34th edition (revised July 2016) training manual released
• ARC (Aus Resuscitation Council) guideline changes:
- Compression rate (100 – 120 compressions per minute)
- Heart attack first aid treatment (give aspirin unless anaphylaxis is a contraindication)
- Shock first aid treatment (no longer raise legs)
- Heat exhaustion first aid treatment (give electrolyte sports drink)
- External bleeding first aid treatment (no longer raise bleeding limb)
- Spinal management (removal of standing spinal and application of a cervical collar)
2017/18
• October 2017 reprint of SLSA 34th edition Public Safety and Aquatic Rescue (revised July 2016)
• ARC guideline changes:
- Checking resuscitation equipment (notably oxygen pipe connection, assembly, or resuscitation bag valve devices).
• EpiPen administration (now 3 seconds and no massaging injection site) (9.2.7)
2018/19
• ARC guideline changes:
- Severe Bleeding (prioritise management of severe bleeding over airways)
- Tourniquets (use of two)
- Haemostatic dressing (to manage severe bleeding)
- New guideline for first aid management of a diabetic emergency (9.2.9)
2019/20
• PSAR 35th edition released May 2020
- Removal of oxygen therapy and oxygen aided resuscitation to the resuscitation component of the SRC / Bronze
- Spinal Management content added to Bronze
- Tourniquet training added to Bronze
- Mental health awareness training for SRC and Bronze
• ARC guideline updates:
- Shock (control bleeding, send for help, reassure) (9.2.3)
- Snake bites (send for help, immobilise, and apply pressure) (9.4.1)
- Hyperthermia (send for help and cool person by any means available) (9.3.4)
2020/21
• ARC guideline changes:
- Treatment for hyperthermia includes ice on the soles, palms, and cheeks in addition to groin and armpits. No longer on the back of the neck. (9.3.4)
- Removal of blind finger sweeps for airway management. Now reach in to seize and remove visible items directly. (4)
2021/22
• ARC Guideline changes: (9.2.10)
- Recommend against the routine administration of oxygen in persons with suspected heart attack and stroke who do not have signs of shock
- Oxygen should be administered to persons with an oxygen saturation of less than 92% (where a pulse oximeter is available).
- Oxygen should be given to persons with signs of blue colouration of skin, shock, decompression illness or a situation suggesting carbon monoxide poisoning (irrespective of oxygen saturation level)
2022/23
• Industry Changes
- A new brand of adrenaline autoinjectors are available with Anapen being reintroduced. Members should be familiar with and practice the administration of both an EpiPen and an Anapen training device
Award: IRB Crew & Driver
2007/08 • Powercraft Code of Conduct introduced
2011/12 • Extra safety protocols for IRB introduced, including safe lifting of IRB, removal of right crew foot strap and addition of ‘locked in’ position for crew
2015/16 • Introduction of lifejackets, personal flotation devices and surf helmets in IRB training
2024/25 • Powercraft Code of Conduct updated
Award: IRB Crew
2015/16
• Knots and lashings to be assessed
2025/26
• Crewing positions
- Rise Crewing Position
- Standing Crewing Position
- Lock-in Position
- Emergency Punch Position
• Re-boarding the IRB
Award: IRB Driver
2025/26 • Wave negotiation at a 1 o’clock angle