Gary Johnson from "SeeClearlyNow", has been awarded the ‘Excellence in Aquatic Safety by an Individual’ as part of the National Aquatic Industry Safety Awards.
The awards are an initiative of the National Aquatic Industry Safety Committee to acknowledge the achievements of aquatic facilities and individuals towards improving health and safety outcomes within their communities.
Craig Roberts, National Manager Aquatic Industry, Royal Life Saving Society – Australia said ,“By celebrating the excellent work being done by individuals and organisations, our goal is to motivate people within the industry to increase the level of safety for their community, cultivating an environment where health and safety initiatives are continually being reviewed and developed.”
“Gary was recognised for his passion and dedication to the aquatic industry through his safety and training initiatives.”
Working as a young lifeguard, in 2001 Gary’s life changed when a toddler tragically drowned at the facility where he worked. From this came the Pool Supervision Program, where Gary has focused his life on making aquatic facilities a safer place, continuing to implement lessons that he learnt that day.
Gary teaches aquatic staff to ‘never look at a pool the same way again,’ training lifeguards to identify the barriers to effective supervision present at their aquatic facility and helped them to develop strategies for managing them.
Gary began his water safety career in 1986 as a surf life saver with Sydney’s Burning Palms SLSC, holding various positions ranging from Patrol Captain to Club Captain. He also spent time on the Cronulla-Sutherland Offshore Rescue Boat during that period.
Gary’s experience with emergency planning, training and response then benefited from two decades as a Pool Lifeguard, time as a Rescue Crewman with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter (New England Northwest) and as a soldier in the Australian Army Reserve (Royal Australian Armoured Corps).
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