The community will see Volunteer Surf Life Savers on the beach in the red and yellow from between 9am and 5pm every Saturday, Sunday and Public Holiday from the October Long Weekend until April.

Hunter Surf Life Saving director of life saving Luke Wiseman said you could start your community career as a surf life saver as young as seven years old and continue right throughout your life.

Between the ages of 7 to 13, children can join the ranks of juniors where on average, clubs run junior activities every Sunday morning during the summer months.

These Sundays allow young children to kick start their surf life saving career with enjoyable activities that are age specific, on the beach and in the water.

Students from the age of 13 can start achieving qualifications that allow them to patrol the Australian Beaches.

These qualifications, such as the Surf Rescue Certificate, give the opportunity for students to learn essential life skills such as resuscitation.

"You don't have to be a competent swimmer to be a surf life saver," Wiseman said.

“You can still become a surf life saver and patrol your local beach without having to complete the Bronze Medallion if you would prefer to concentrate your efforts in other areas rather than swimming,” he said.

Rescuing a person, from the water, can be one aspect of ensuring a person survives after a drowning experience, with the resuscitation, or first aid, on the beach also being essential for survival.

Awards that you can achieve to be a patrolling surf life saver include: Surf Rescue Certificate; Bronze Medallion - Certificate II; IRB Crew; IRB Driver; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Advanced Resuscitation ; Defibrillation; Radio Operators; Rescue Water Craft Operators; Senior First Aid (Workcover approved); Spinal Management; Beach Management; Training Officer and Assessor.

For more information on patrols and joining your local surf club contact Hunter Surf Life Saving go to www.hsls.org.au or phone 4961 4533.