Course Overview

ASI Surf Water Safety Rescue Award

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Build real surf‑rescue confidence with fast, practical training that teaches you how to respond safely and effectively in ocean conditions.

You’ll gain essential rescue skills, board‑handling ability and ocean fitness to act quickly when it matters.

Perfect for surfers, instructors, and ocean lovers who want to be rescue‑ready.

Perform simple surf rescues

In the following conditions;

  • In the ocean

  • breaking waves of 1 ½ feet (½ metre)

  • sandy beach and ocean floor with even gradient (no rocks or reef) 

Water safety roles within the surfing industry or outdoor recreation industry. 

Emergency response: identify and respond to surf emergencies.

Signals & reporting: use emergency signals and communicate incidents.

Surf rescue skills: apply rescue techniques using a rescue board or longboard. Understand holds and releases and free rescue techniques.

In‑water rescues: perform conscious and unconscious patient rescues & prone‑paddle a patient to shore with correct landing techniques.

Spinal management: recognise potential spinal injuries and respond safely.

Before starting this course, you must meet:

General Fitness:  Be medically and physically fit.

Ocean Fitness Skills:   Able to swim a minimum of 200 metres (650 ft) with crawl stroke, run 200 metres (650 ft), paddle your surfboard 200 metres (650ft) within 10 minutes, without stopping in the ocean in small breaking waves.

Before you can gain your certificate, you’ll need to complete the below:

Ocean Fitness Ability: 
Complete timed fitness mission test. Swim 200 metres (650 ft) with crawl stroke, run 200 metres (650 ft), paddle your surfboard 200 metres (650ft) within 10 minutes, without stopping, in the ocean in small breaking waves.

Rescue Skills Ability: 
Demonstrate rescue of unconscious person. Using double roll method with a rescue board (in deep water) and paddling patient successfully back to shore, through small breaking waves.

Knowledge: 
Complete multi-choice test

Submit Required Certificates:
A current senior first aid certificate Acceptable First Aid certificates

Time to complete :  12 months

Workshop: Ideal for people who like to complete the course requirements at the workshop and interact with the trainer.

  • Face to face (in-person) training.

  • Duration: half day

Course requirements:

  • Ocean fitness ability – completed at workshop

  • Rescue skills ability – completed at workshop

  • Multi-choice test– completed at workshop

  • Submit current first aid certificate

Online Learning: Ideal for people who would like flexibility to complete their training.

  • Work at your own pace

  • Submit video of the practical assessments

Course requirements:

  • Ocean fitness ability - submit video

  • Rescue skills ability - submit video

  • Multi-choice online test

  • Submit current first aid certificate

  • 2 free video assessments

ASI Surf Water Safety Rescue manual (paper)

For online learning:

ASI Surf Water Safety Rescue manual (online)

ASI’s E-learning Platform 
Provides access to training manuals, videos, reference materials and assessments, includes built-in language translation.

The following equipment and clothing is required to complete the training:

  • Rescue board or longboard

  • Surf clothing suitable for conducting rescues

In addition, for the online learning courses: 

  • Computer to access ASI e-learning platform  

  • Another person to be your patient 

  • Video camera or mobile phone to take video of practical skills  

ASI Surf Water Safety Rescue Award 

(Valid for 24 months or 12 months in Australia)

ASI also issues education department approved training certificates.

Australia Only
ASI is an Australian Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and also issues the following certificate to students undertaking training in Australia.
Australian Department of Education. Registered Training Organisation RTO ID 91496

Statement of Attainment in Certificate II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue) (PUA20119)
for units of competency:  
SISORSC007 Perform basic surf rescues

There is no renewal. To obtain a new certificate, participants complete the course again.

  • Globally recognised certifications

  • Industry‑leading safety and coaching standards

  • Flexible online and in‑person training

  • Clear career progression

  • Trusted by surf and watersports schools worldwide

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