Beach safety for secondary students

Sun, sand and surf. Just because we're having fun doesn't mean we can forget about safety. Rip currents account for 80 percent of beach rescues, and can be dangerous or deadly if you don't know what to do. Learn to stay safe with Bondi Rescue.

Rip safety tips

RIP
CURRENTS

account for 80 percent of beach rescues
If you can:
WAVE
AND YELL!
If you are a good swimmer
SWIM
PARALLEL

to shore until you've cleared
the pull of the rip current
STAY
CALM
If you do happen to be
caught in a rip current
FLOAT
INSTEAD!

If you try to fight the rip current
and swim against it, you'll just
get worn out

Protect your skin

Most skin cancer can be prevented by using good sun protection.
It's never too late to improve your sun protection habits, no matter if you are six months or 60 years old.

Slipon clothing
Slopon sunscreen
Slideon sunglasses
Slipon
a hat
Seek
shade

Flags

From July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017, 291 people died from drowning in Australian waterways and a further 685 people drowned but luckily, did not die. To stay safe at the beach, always be mindful of FLAGS:

Find the flags

Always swim between the red and yellow flags as they represent the safest place to swim.
Look at the safety signs

Safety signs help identify beach dangers.
Ask a lifeguard for safety advice

Conditions can change quickly so talk to a lifesaver before entering the water.
Go swimming with a friend

Look out for each other and get help if needed.
Stick your hand up for help

Stay calm if you get in trouble and raise your arm if you're struggling in the surf.

GREAT
WHITE
SHARKS!

5 facts

1. Great white sharks are found mostly in cooler, coastal waters throughout the world's oceans.

2. Female great whites grow up to 1900kg and 6m long, with males around 4m long, making these animals the planet's largest predatory fish.

3. The great white shark is named for its white underside and typically has a grey back, or dorsal area. Their bodies are designed for power and speed, travelling at more than 60km/h.

4. The great white has around 300 triangular serrated teeth, arranged in as many as 15 rows. When sharks lose a tooth from the front row, a tooth from the row behind takes its place.

5. But humans aren't really on the great white's menu. In an average year, sharks attack 12 people in Australia, and of the 16 attacks in 2017 one was fatal.