00:00A weekend of ocean emergencies. Almost 200 rescues in Victoria alone.
00:09When you consider all of last summer we performed 849 rescues, it's one of the busiest weekends
00:14that we can remember.
00:1540 people have drowned across Australia this summer.
00:19Every drowning is preventable and no one that ever gets rescued by a lifesaver expects to
00:22be the person that needs to be rescued.
00:24The biggest danger, rips.
00:26Unfortunately a lot of people mistake a rip for a safe place to swim because they don't
00:31see waves breaking in it.
00:33It's almost one year since four people drowned in a rip at a remote beach on Phillip Island.
00:39It's an enormous tragedy. It does leave a really profound effect on surf lifesavers
00:43and other first responders.
00:46With a long summer ahead, lifesavers are pleading with the public to avoid unpatrolled beaches.
00:52Every drowning death this summer has occurred outside the flags.
00:55If they can't see you, they can't save you.
00:58But they'll always try and the next generation at Woolamai Beach Surf Lifesaving Club is
01:03ready to help.
01:04First, they need their bronze medallion.
01:07I feel really ready.
01:08Grace Murphy has wanted this since she was a nipper.
01:11I've waited a really long time to get my bronze.
01:15And today's the day.
01:17Set, go!
01:18Sixty teenagers battle the elements as they run, swim and rescue their way to success.
01:26Becoming fully-fledged surf lifesavers.
01:29I'm ecstatic.
01:31The volunteers redo their bronze every year.
01:34In between, they train hard.
01:36Slow, slow, slow.
01:38So they're always ready.
01:40Today, it's a training exercise.
01:44The rescue's not real, but the skills are.
01:47And in a real-life emergency, they can mean the difference between life or death.
01:52They want the public to prepare as well.
01:54The best way you can do that and help lifesavers is swim between the flags at a patrolled beach.
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