UNFIT SURF CLUB ROW

SOME lifesavers patrolling a notorious Tweed beach where two people drowned were not fit enough to complete mandatory swimming tests, a surf club boss claims.

Fingal Rovers Surf Life Saving Club president Steven Kudzius also alleged lifesavers were given their Bronze Medallion after just one weekend of training. The course usually takes about eight weekends to complete.

Surf Life Saving Far North Coast denied the claims.

LIFESAVERS patrolling a “black spot” beach in northern NSW were given their Bronze Medallion after only one weekend of training and some were not fit enough to complete the crucial ocean swim test, a surf club boss claims.

Steven Kudzius, president of the Fingal Rovers Surf Life Saving Club, said he had asked Surf Life Saving Australia and Surf Life Saving NSW to investigate how volunteers get the green light to patrol.

Fingal Beach has been labelled a black spot due to dangerous rips and two drownings nearby in the past 18 months.

Mr Kudzius said some guards had been given their Bronze Medallion after only 16 hours of training over one weekend.

Surf Life Saving Australia’s core lifesaving course normally includes about 40 hours of training over about eight weekends.

He said some volunteers were not able to swim 400m in under nine minutes in a pool of at least 25m in length.

Up to a dozen volunteers had left the club because of concerns over safety, he added.

“Some weren’t making the swim and run you need to do under nine minutes,” Mr Kud- zius said. “They were terrified to go on patrol.

“Most have disappeared into the background.

“A dozen people have walked away from the club.”

Surf Life Saving Far North Coast rejected Mr Kudzius’ claims, saying the volunteers at the club had undergone the proper training.

An external manager was appointed last month while Mr Kudzius was on leave to restructure the Fingal Rovers SLSC. It is one of 10 clubs managed by the Surf Life Saving Far North Coast branch.

Surf Life Saving NSW figures reveal more than 1800 people visited the patrolled area on weekends alone in December last year.

Branch manager Wilson Cregan said the branch had been forced to act as the area was a black spot.

“There are no concerns, we want to make sure it is not a black spot and we can move forward,” he said.

“There are no fingers pointed at any individuals. We’re confident with the structure we’re putting in place.”

Mr Kudzius said he was considering walking away from the club where he had volunteered about 30 hours each week for the past 18 months.

He said he had been involved with the club for about a decade.