SLSA Operations App

The Challenge

Surf Life Saving Australia coordinates thousands of volunteer lifesavers patrolling beaches across the country every week. They needed a powerful yet simple app that could handle operational needs — rostering, hazard tracking, GPS positioning, and risk assessment — while working reliably on all devices in outdoor beach environments.

The Solution

Nano Solutions developed the SLSA Operations App as a Progressive Web App (PWA), giving patrol teams a single tool to manage all their on-duty operations across any device.

What it does

• Roster Management: Patrol members manage their availability and team assignments
• GPS Tracking: Background location tracking for patrol vehicles and personnel
• Hazard & Rescue Mapping: Assign and track hazards and rescue locations on the beach
• Risk Assessment: Score beach conditions and implement measures to mitigate identified risks
• Photo Documentation: Capture and upload daily beach condition photos
• Full SLSA Integration: Connected to existing SLSA systems and data

One platform in place of several apps

The consolidation is visible inside the product itself. Operations' Risk Assessment section carries three assessment types — patrol, water safety and sport events — and the platform's own wording describes two of them as replacing previous standalone apps: a Water Safety Risk Assessment app and an Event Risk Assessment app. Work that used to live in separate point solutions now runs in the tool patrols already have open, against the same beaches, members and permissions.

How it is built

• Progressive Web App (PWA) — fast, reliable, and works on all devices
• Single Page Application built with Laravel and Vue.js
• Deployed to Apple and Google Play stores via Cordova wrapper
• Legacy System Integration — connects with existing SLSA infrastructure
• Single Codebase — one implementation for all platforms, reducing maintenance overhead

The Results

• 1,000+ beach patrols per week use the app across Australia
• All-device compatibility — works on phones, tablets, and desktops without separate builds
• Virtually no training required — intuitive design means lifesavers can start using it immediately
• Real-time risk visibility — patrol teams assess and respond to beach hazards as they emerge
• Single codebase — one implementation across web, iOS, and Android reduces maintenance overhead
• Improved beach safety — enables lifesavers to manage their duties more effectively

Technology

Built with Laravel and Vue.js as a Progressive Web App, with Cordova wrapping for app store deployment. Features include background GPS tracking, real-time data synchronisation, offline capability, and RESTful API integration with SLSA's existing systems.

See also: SLSA BeachSafe and SLSA Results.

Related Nano Solutions services: Systems Integration · Enterprise System Integration. WA government agencies can engage us directly through our CUAICTS2021 panel listing.