PALS is affiliated to Surf Life Saving Northern region (New Zealand)

About Surf Life Saving Northern Region
As an organization committed to the prevention of drowning and injury in an aquatic environment, we get a lot of satisfaction from playing such a vital role in our community. Surf Life Saving Northern Region provides lifeguarding, water safety and education services to all our northern beaches.

We are a non-profit, volunteer based organization and have been in operation since 1933. Since then, we have become a well respected life force in the community, largely because of the professionalism and commitment from our lifeguards and the many support structures in place to support our core activities.

But there's more to us than lifeguarding. We also assist the community through education and sport.

Vision
To be recognized as the leading aquatic safety service in New Zealand

Mission
Surf Life Saving Northern Region is committed to the prevention of drowning and injury in the aquatic environment through the provision of lifeguarding, water safety and education services.

Values
• High standards of governance
• Responsiveness to the needs of the key stakeholders being members and the community
• Operating with integrity, equality and accountability
• Innovative and constantly improving our services
• Operating as a team
• Accepting our role as the leader in aquatic safety services in our region

ILS Background
Organized international lifesaving activities began in 1878 when the first World Congress was hosted in Marseille, France. In 1910 the Federation Internationale de Sauvetage Aquatique became the first international lifesaving federation when it was formed in Paris. Many years later, in 1971, World Life Saving was created and composed of national surf lifesaving organizations, including the United States Lifesaving Association. After two decades of operating separately, on September 3, 1994, FIS and WLS merged to create a single international body of lifesaving to be known as the International Life Saving Federation.

ILS is now composed of over 120 national lifesaving federations. ILS officials include an internationally elected President and Secretary General, four vice-presidents (each of whom is also president of one of the four geographic regions of the world that make up ILS), and directors from each of the regions. The four ILS regions are as follows:

Drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death in every country of the world. A drowning occurs somewhere in the world every two minutes, with more than 250,000 every year.

International Lifesaving Objectives:
• Improve aquatic life saving and resuscitation techniques
• Develop life saving education
• Exchange practical, medical, technical, and scientific experiences
• Spread aquatic life saving skills to every corner of the world
• Help prevent pollution of our waters
• Encourage uniformity in life saving equipment, symbols, signs, and laws
• Promote and organize life saving sports and competitions

Patrons of ILS include His Royal Excellency King Carl XVI of Sweden and the Honorable Nelson Mandela of South Africa. ILS is recognized by several international organizations, including:
• The World Health Organization of the United Nations (WHO)
• The International Red Cross and Red Crescent (IRC)
• The International Olympic Committee (IOC)
• The International Military Sports Council (CISM)