July 5 - Updates from the Society

National Drowning Prevention Week is July 16-22, 2017. NDPW is a signature activation for our Water Smart Campaign. The Lifesaving Society has developed a customizable and co-brandable NDPW poster that affiliate members can utilize to promote NDPW activities and events. Please contact the Society for support.

NEW Water Smart Resources

The Society has several new rack cards, posters and banners available to order to support National Drowning Prevention Week and community activation events. All of the resources are outlined here in the Water Smart Materials Order Form .

Rack Cards (include key messages) & Posters:

How to Fit a Lifejacket*
Don't Drink and Drown*
Be a Water Smart Boater*
Drowning Hits Close to Home*

*Note: all new Water Smart posters are also available in banner format.

Member Services

Canada Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) Update

Canada's Anti-Spam Law came into effect on July 1, 2014. The Lifesaving Society developed anti-spam practices to comply with CASL as has a Commercial Electronic Messaging Policy. The Society communicated this with our members in 2014 following the passing of this law.

The Lifesaving Society Alberta and Northwest Territories Branch regularly communicates with our affiliate members and leadership volunteers through electronic communication. Members of the public may also voluntarily subscribe to the Society's newsletter.

The personal information collected by the Society for affiliate members and leadership volunteers is required for the administration and delivery of the Society's programs and services and is used for the following purposes:

To establish and maintain a relationship with members and to provide members with information about Society events, programs, services and policies;
To maintain a record of the member's Lifesaving Society Awards;
To meet with legal and regulatory requirements.

All information gathered from members/volunteers by the Society is kept in confidence and adheres to our Privacy Principles . By participating in a Lifesaving Society program or by accessing the Society's services, there is an implied consent to the Society collecting personal information. The Society complies with the freedom of information and protection of privacy legislation. Proof of express consent is located on documents such as rosters, test sheets and agreements.

Leadership volunteers have the option to 'opt out' of having their information shared on reports shared with affiliate members by completing the Right to Privacy Form . Should leadership volunteers and affiliate members unsubscribe from receiving our electronic communications they must be aware that they will not receive important information that the Society needs to share with respect to our programs, services and policies.

For more information please contact the Society at (780) 415-1755 or email: [email protected]

Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross Certification Course Posters

The Lifesaving Society has a customizable and co-brandable Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross Certification Course poster available for affiliate members to use to promote Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross courses at their facility.

National Lifeguard Certification Course Posters

The Lifesaving Society has a customizable and co-brandable National Lifeguard Course poster available for affiliate members to use to promote National Lifeguard courses at their facility.

Aquatic Emergency Care Policy Clarification

AEC must be current to re-certify (currency period is 2 years)
If not current candidates must attend an original AEC course.
Candidates with current workplace Standard First Aid may challenge an original AEC course.

Alert Manual Insert

The Society has retired the Alert Manual Insert as separate product on our product line. It will be removed from the National Lifeguard Instructor Candidate Pack. If you are offering a NLI course from this point forward please ensure that the candidates bring with them an Alert Manual that is dated 2013 or newer. All Alert Manuals after that print date have the insert embedded in it.

Pleasure Craft Operator (PCO) Courses

The Competency of Operators of Pleasure Craft Regulations require all Canadian operators of pleasure crafts fitted with any type of motor and used for recreational purposes to carry proof of competency on board.

Note: Proof of competency is not required in the waters of Nunavut and Northwest Territories at this time.

The most common form of proof of competency is a Pleasure Craft Operator (PCO) card which is obtained after passing an accredited boating safety test.

The Lifesaving Society is accredited by Transport Canada to deliver boating safety courses and administer tests for the issuance of Pleasure Craft Operator Cards, including replacement cards, under the Competency of Operators or Pleasure Craft Regulations.

Lifesaving Society affiliates may become a BOAT™ Test Centre which are authorized to offer the BOAT™ Course, sell the BOAT™ Study Guide , and administer the Transport Canada Boating Safety Test (for the PCO card).

The BOAT Course is taught by Lifesaving Society BOAT Instructors. Any authorized representative of an affiliated BOAT Test Centre who holds a PCO card may proctor a Transport Canada Boating Safety Test.

Several options are available:

Attend a Boat Operator Accredited Training (BOAT)™ course.
Study at Home using the BOAT Study Guide and then visit a local BOAT Test Centre to write the Transport Canada Boating Safety Test.
Write the Test. If you are an experienced boater, or have formal training as a boat operator, you can arrange to write the Transport Canada Boating Safety Test.

In-Person Leadership Recertification Courses

July 13-14, 2017

South Zone (Host: University of Lethbridge - Max Bell Regional Aquatic Centre)

Registration Deadline: Thursday July 6, 2017

Registration Information

August 19-20, 2017

Edmonton Zone (Host: City of Edmonton - Millwoods Recreation Centre)

Registration Deadline: Friday August 11, 2017

Registration Information

November 18-19, 2017

Calgary Zone (Host: Westside Regional Recreation Society - Westside Regional Recreation Centre)

Registration Deadline: November 15, 2017

Registration Information

Lifesaving Sport

Lifesaving Sport Camps

The Lifesaving Society recently hosted six very successful sport camps that were led by an international surf lifesaving coach from South Africa. The camps were held at West Edmonton Mall, Lake Summerside, Manluk Centre (Wetaskiwin) and at the Claresholm Aquatic Centre. Our sincere thanks to all of the host facilities and to Coach Andrew Crook for providing this amazing opportunity!

Call for Athletes - International Surf Rescue Challenge 2017

The Lifesaving Society is calling for applicants that would like to represent Canada as a member of the Representative Team in the International Surf Rescue Challenge 2017. The International Surf Challenge 2017 will be held at Mount Manganui Beach, Tauranga, New Zealand from November 26-December 4, 2017. There is also an optional training camp from December 4-8, 2017, which will be hosted by National Team Coach, Jason Cross. This is an excellent opportunity for our high performance athletes that wish to experience Surf Lifesaving and have additional exposure to international competition.

Click HERE for more information on the competition or eligibility.

Eligible athletes must submit an email to Brian Miess, Technical Leaders Committee Chair, at [email protected] by August 26, 2017 that includes: 1) their full name and the name of the tour, 2) whether they are interested in attending the training camp, and 3) their full birth date. Selection of the team will be announced following the Canadian Surf Lifesaving Championships on August 27, 2017.

For further information or clarification, please contact Emily Verreault, High Performance Manager, at [email protected] .

Canada's Drowning Prevention Charity

The Lifesaving Society Alberta and Northwest Territories Branch

Charitable Registration No. 11912 9021 RR0001

1-780-415-1755 | [email protected] | http://www.lifesaving.org

13123 - 156 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5V 1V2