PSVL Welcome Pack 2020
PSVL Welcome Pack 2020
PSVL Welcome Pack 2020
The Portsmouth and Southsea Voluntary Lifeguards (PSVL) is a beach lifeguard club based on Southsea
seafront with headquarters between Southsea castle and South Parade pier.
The main focus of the club is to provide beach lifeguard cover for Southsea sea front which takes the form
of shoreline, surf ski and boat patrols during weekends and bank holidays between May and September. The
club also patrol during the week in the school holidays. In addition to the patrols undertaken, the club is a
declared rescue unit to Her Majesty’s Coastguard which sees both our lifeguard members and rescue boats
being tasked to 999 incidents. The club also provides specialist rescue and first aid cover for special events,
examples include; triathlons, pier to pier and cross Solent swims and power boat races to name but a few.
It is also our aim to increase public awareness of lifesaving techniques.
The club is affiliated to the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) and as such we provide training for a variety of
RLSS approved lifesaving, lifeguarding and resuscitation awards. We are also members of the Solent Sea
Rescue Organisation (SSRO), whose role is to provide a rescue boat service in the Solent region.
Patrol Times
Weekends including bank holidays, 1000-1800, May through to September
If you wish to take part in water based activities our minimum time swim is 200metres (8x25metre lengths)
in five minutes. If you are a weak swimmer we can either help you to improve your stroke and stamina or
focus your training into land based activities such as first aid, advanced life support, coordinating operations
or operating our 4x4 vehicle.
What ever route you choose all members are given intensive training in tea and coffee making procedures!!!
Oh yeah and you must have a good sense of humour
Lifeguard Operations
Portsmouth lifeguards is an active and
busy front line rescue unit dealing with various incidents including; firsts aids, lost persons, advanced life
support, distressed swimmers, boat inshore rescues.
Lifeguard Uniforms
All of our lifeguards need to wear the club uniform of a yellow polo shirt and red shorts which allows us to be
recognised and identified as a lifeguard by the public. You will be able to wear a yellow polo with lifeguard
on the back when you have a minimum of Bronze Medallion. Sensible footwear like trainers is also required
when out on patrol or responding on a rescue. Other footwear like flip flops are not suitable to perform the
lifeguard role and if in doubt ask a member of the committee or the officer of the day.
On a patrol the team of lifeguards will carry a selection of essential
equipment which includes a throw line, torpedo buoy, first aid kit
and radio. A patrol will include a team leader and in larger rescues
they might decide, in conjugation with the officer of the day, to
carry further equipment like Oxygen, Defibrillator, spine collars,
spine board etc.
During lifeguard activities on the beach lifeguards WILL become
wet. This means that ALL lifeguards will require a spare change of
dry clothes.
In situations where the lifeguard is likely to get wet, i.e. water
rescue, the appropriate PPE needs to be worn. This starts with
appropriate wet shoes like wetsuit boots or old trainers. As a rescue
becomes longer additional PPE is required, i.e. wind tops, wetsuits,
drysuits, personal floatation devices