National Search And Rescue Committee (NSARC)

Committee Update - SLSNZ Annual Report 2025

The National SAR Committee has now been in place for 18 months. It was established to drive meaningful change and build a stronger, more
consistent Surf SAR system across the country.

Our guiding principle has always been clear: national intent, local execution. While our vision is unified at a national level, we recognise that no single model fits all. Local communities remain at the heart of Surf SAR, and their knowledge, capability, and unique needs have been central to every step of this journey.

Over the past 12 months, the committee has worked with energy and purpose—culminating in the recent presentation of our new National SAR Framework to the Board, alongside our newly appointed SAR staff. This marks the completion of the design phase and the beginning of National Search And Rescue Committee (NSARC) the implementation phase, focused on making SAR both safer and easier for our volunteers.

SAR has always been a core part of what we do at SLSNZ. While the fundamentals remain, we are introducing targeted improvements that reflect the evolving needs of our communities and the realities of modern volunteer response.

Your National SAR Committee is represented by: Chris Jeffery, Courtney Moir, Immy Doyle, Ben Flynn, Adam Glenister, Kath Manning, and Cam Burrow (SLSNZ Board). And we are working closely with Matt Cairns (SLSNZ SAR Manager), Andy Kent (SLSNZ GM Lifesaving), Belinda Slement (SLSNZ Education Manager) and Laura Beanland-Stephens (SLSNZ SurfCom Manager).

It has been a pleasure working with the team to get to this part of the journey.

DAVE BENTLEY
Chair

Click here for the Search & Rescue web page >