Lifeguard overview
The role of RNLI Lifeguards
The role of RNLI lifeguards is to provide an integrated service from the beach to the open sea.
Key objectives
We are committed to serving the community by providing:
- the highest quality lifesaving, beach safety and education services
- leadership in beach safety management, guidance and standards
- a service that enhances the beach amenity provision in the community
Our primary customers
All visitors to UK and RoI beaches.
Meeting the Concept of Operations.
The RNLI lifeguard service saves lives at sea throughout the UK and RoI by providing:
- beach safety education and accident prevention
- lifeguard services
- services that are to a defined standard of performance, using trained and competent people, both paid and volunteer.
Lifeguard performance standards
The RNLI lifeguards aim to:
- where possible prevent incidents through education or early intervention
- reach any beach casualty up to 300m from shore within the flags (or declared area for open beaches), on RNLI lifeguard-patrolled beaches, within 3.5 minutes
- provide first responder medical assistance within 8 minutes of receiving a call to incidents within the declared areas
- support SAR activity according to the capabilities of the available equipment and personnel.
Our service priorities
To provide quality lifeguard services Delivery of high quality lifeguard services to reduce loss of life and injury.
To provide quality training for lifeguards Training is vital to ensure our lifeguards are able to respond appropriately to any incident.
To prevent incidents through community education Lifeguarding is fundamentally about prevention; lifeguards are key to delivering many of the beach safety prevention strategies.
To ensure organisational growth and sustainability The RNLI is a charity and needs to constantly identify strategies that ensure its long term viability.
To promote and develop lifeguard volunteers To ensure that there are enough lifeguards for future service provision and to maintain the volunteer ethos of the RNLI.
To encourage stakeholder engagement To inform and gain support from all interested parties.
To conduct research and development programmes To ensure the future effectiveness of the RNLI's Lifeguard service.
