The Lifeguard Helping Young People Discover Who They Are Beyond the Beach

If you spend enough time around the Northern Beaches, you start to realise surf lifesaving is about far more than flags, rescue boards and weekends on patrol. For many people, it becomes family, purpose and, sometimes, the thing that unexpectedly changes the entire direction of their life.

That was certainly the case for Emanuel Freer.

Today, Emanuel works as a casual lifeguard with Northern Beaches Council, volunteers as a lifesaver with Bilgola Surf Life Saving Club and serves as the club’s Deputy Chief Training Officer. He trains junior members completing their Surf Rescue Certificates and Bronze Medallions, mentors young people through the Raise Foundation and helps oversee the training and development of new lifesavers entering the club.

But none of it was planned.

In fact, Emanuel laughs admitting there was “no inspiration in the beginning” at all.

Almost ten years ago, his older sister encouraged him to complete his Bronze Medallion simply as moral support for her husband, who was new to the area and looking to become involved in the community.

“I reluctantly obliged,” Emanuel says.

What happened next caught everyone off guard, excuse the pun, including Emanuel himself.

“It surprised both my sister and myself how passionate I got about lifesaving. I think some early near-drowning incidents in childhood created distance between me and the ocean until the course. During that course however, I unlocked a passion for lifesaving, the ocean and community service that completely took over.”

That one reluctant decision eventually evolved into almost a decade of volunteering, mentoring and leadership on the beach.

Fast forward to 2026 and Emanuel now holds almost every qualification available within surf lifesaving, including IRB driver, Patrol Captain and Jet Ski operator.

But while the public often associates surf lifesaving with dramatic rescues and flashing lights, Emanuel says most people have no idea what happens behind the scenes.

“How much goes into it before anyone ever sets foot on the beach,” he explains. “The training, the qualifications, the equipment maintenance, the administration. It’s a serious operation run mostly by people giving up their time for free.”

And then there is the level of concentration and awareness required while on patrol.

“I don’t think people realise how much is actually happening in the water that lifeguards and lifesavers are paying attention to,” he says. “The subtle changes across the day and from one area to another that we are trained to recognise.”

Still, despite the responsibility, long hours and confronting incidents that come with the role, Emanuel says the rewards far outweigh the sacrifices.

“Some people might think us fools for putting on our red and yellow uniforms and giving up weekends for the better part of the year,” he says. “Those people haven’t discovered the magic of volunteering and service to community. It’s not a purely selfless endeavour. We get a lot out of it for what we give.”

What Emanuel seems to get most from it is the opportunity to shape and support young people.

His passion for youth training runs through almost every answer he gives.

For him, surf lifesaving is not simply about teaching teenagers how to complete rescues or pass assessments. It is about helping them discover confidence, resilience and purpose in a world where many young people are struggling to find their footing.

“There is an intersection of surf lifesaving and mentoring that transcends the beach,” he says. “It’s a privilege to contribute to that.”

He speaks openly about seeing teenagers arrive at the club carrying self doubt, anxiety or personal struggles, only to slowly transform through the process of training, teamwork and responsibility.

“The Bronze Medallion and Surf Rescue Certificate are challenging,” Emanuel explains.

“The physical demands, the real responsibility of keeping someone safe in the water. Young people who come through this program leave with a skill set and a confidence that goes well beyond the beach.”

More importantly, he believes they leave understanding they are capable of much more than they initially thought.

“That they are more than their perceived fears and limitations on the beach and in life.”

It is impossible not to notice how deeply he cares about the emotional wellbeing of the young people he mentors.

“I have seen the ugliest side of youth mental health and the risks they face,” he says. “To have any kind of impact on that is a privilege and responsibility that I hold close to my heart.”

And sometimes, it is the smallest moments that stay with him most.

“Especially when that difference is validated by young people telling me something they learned at the club made a difference to them off the beach.”

It is exactly this mindset that sits behind Bilgola SLSC’s upcoming Lifesaving Open Day on Sunday May 31.

While the event will feature live rescue demonstrations, surf boats, IRBs launching through the surf, patrol walkthroughs, CPR showcases and beachside BBQs, Emanuel says the real purpose goes much deeper than simply showcasing surf lifesaving.

The goal is to empower ordinary people with skills that could genuinely save lives.

Because emergencies do not only happen in front of trained professionals.

“They happen at rock pools, at unpatrolled stretches of beach, in backyard pools, in supermarkets,” Emanuel says. “The first person on scene is almost always an ordinary member of the public.”

And what happens in those first few minutes before emergency services arrive can change everything.

Following one of the most confronting summers Sydney’s coastline has seen in decades, including fatal shark attacks and multiple serious incidents across the Northern Beaches, the importance of community preparedness has become impossible to ignore.

Bilgola’s Open Day will include practical first aid demonstrations and trauma response education, including shark bite trauma kits now rolled out across surf clubs following recent attacks.

For Emanuel, it is not about fear. It is about readiness.

“We’ve got defibrillators, trauma kits and drones to keep an eye on things,” he says. “The council and organisations like Surf Life Saving have really invested in keeping people safe on the beaches. But having all this gear is only half the battle. You need to know how to use it properly too.”

He believes many people underestimate how likely they are to actually use first aid or CPR skills in real life.

“Statistically, you are far more likely to use first aid skills on someone you love,” he explains.

“Meaning you are more than likely learning skills to help a family member.”

And perhaps that is what makes this entire story resonate beyond the beach itself. At its core, it is not really about surf clubs or rescue equipment. It is about people taking care of each other, creating places where young people feel seen, capable and supported, and communities becoming stronger because ordinary people choose to contribute something back.

“Community is being part of something bigger than yourself,” Emanuel says. “Something magic, that surprises you, comforts you, supports you. Something that often, you didn’t even know you needed.”

The Bilgola SLSC Lifesaving Open Day will be held on Sunday May 31

from 12.30pm to 3.30pm at Bilgola Beach. The event is free and open to all ages.