UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK LIFESAVING CLUB
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What's Lifesaving Sport?

​Lifesaving sport is the competitive element of lifesaving. No training session or competition is the ever the same!
There are two distinct areas of lifesaving sport - SERCs and Speeds. More information can be found below.

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One of our lifesavers calling for the emergency services via a radio: Sheffield Comp, Nov 2019.
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Our A team lined up ready for line throw relay: the calm before the storm!

SERCs

SERC stands for Simulated Emergency Response Competition - this gives you a chance to put your first aid training into action!
You will be part of a team of four Warwick lifesavers and together, you will face an unknown 'emergency' scenario. The team (under direction of a 'captain') will be tested on how well they can work together to treat all the casualties (actors) in the best way possible with the equipment provided and within a two minute time limit. This may involve, but is not limited to:

  • performing CPR
  • using a defibrillator/ AED
  • dealing with heart attacks, electric shocks
  • treating sea creature stings
  • rescuing drowning casualties
  • bandaging bleeding limbs (fake blood)
  • treating a range of medical conditions including asthma, diabetes, severe anaphylactic shock, epilepsy, and angina
  • and much much more!
As if that wasn't enough to get your lifesaving minds working, further complexity is added to the incident by placing them in a variety of challenging settings, such as:
  • boat and building fires
  • car crashes
  • chemical lab malfunctions
...and the list goes on - the only limit is imagination!
​
SERCs give lifesavers a glimpse of what a real-life emergency scenario might look like and equip them with the ability to handle such situations outside of a competition - at a time that might actually save someone's life!
SERCs in action
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Two of our lifesavers treating casualties for shock and applying bandages in a dry SERC which featured an explosion in a chemical lab: Sheffield Comp, Nov 2019

SPEEDS

University League Speeds​ (relays)
This involves competitive swimming races with a lifesaving twist - consisting of relays in which you compete in your same team of four:
  • Swim and Tow Relay
  • Line Throw Relay
  • Manikin Relay
  • Obstacle Relay
  • Medley Relay
  • the infamous 'Pool Lifesaver' relay.
These are great fun for people of any swimming ability, and include towing your teammates, diving under obstacles, swimming with fins and carrying plastic orange people - also known as 'Bobs'.
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Line throw relay: Nottingham Comp, Nov 2019

Individual Speeds Events
There are seven of these events, which range from the 50m Manikin Carry (involves diving to pick up a submerged manikin and carry it) to the Obstacle Race where lifesavers swim freestyle whilst diving underneath obstacle gates at regular intervals.
A favourite event is the 100m Manikin Tow, which involves starting with fins and a torpedo buoy, swimming freestyle 50m to a floating manikin, clipping the torp around the manikin and towing it back as fast as possible. You can read about these events in more detail here if you're interested, or watch the video below provided by the World Games.
Don't worry if this doesn't sound like your thing - it is completely optional at both training and comps, and our club has a completely mixed swimming ability!

Want to see some videos?

Club Promotion Video (2020) (New training times and faces, unfortunatly no new footage due to COVID-19)
Lifesaving Speeds Events Introduction  (The World Games)
Lifesaving Speeds Competition in Greece (We have been invited to attend a speeds competition here this September (2020) to compete against Greek and other UK universities)

Did you know?

​The sport of lifesaving was originally introduced to encourage lifeguards to improve and maintain the essential physical and mental skills required when saving lives in an aquatic environment, covering rescue, resuscitation and first aid.
FAQs

Training Times 2020/21 - TERM 1

Monday
​12:30-13:50

Speeds Training at the Swimming Pool

Wednesday
11:30-13:20

Competition Training at the Swimming Pool

Thursday
​18:00-19:50

Dry and First Aid at Westwood Games Hall Lecture Theatre

Friday
​18:30-20:00

Competition Training at the Swimming Pool
FREE TASTER SESSIONS ALL OF WEEK 1 AND WEEK 2

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​Term 1 Training Schedule  (Updated on 22/10/2020)
Wet - Sports Hub Pool
  • Monday: 12:30-13:50
  • Wednesday: 11:30-13:20
  • Friday: 18:45-20:00
​Dry - Sports Hub Climbing Meeting Room
  • Thursday: 18:00-20:00

Please note that these times may change for Term 2.
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​© 2020 University of Warwick Lifesaving Club
University of Warwick Lifesaving Club, safeguarding the waters since 2002.
  • Home
  • What's Lifesaving?
  • COVID-19
  • About
    • Training
    • Competitions >
      • SERCs in Action
    • Courses
    • Socials
    • How do I join?
    • The Exec Team >
      • President
      • Secretary
      • Treasurer
      • Speeds Training Officer
      • Course Coordinator
      • Competition Secretary
      • Social Secretary
    • Records
    • Club Constitution
    • Past Exec & Teams
  • Welcome Week 2020
  • Calendar
  • FAQs
  • Contact