All posts by Surf Live Saving Admin

Congratulations to North Bondi members David Freedman, Michael Nearhos, Kate Meller and Michael Boland who have been recognised as Branch Rescue of the Month Winners March 2022 for rescue on 26/3/22.
Michael Nearhos and Kate Meller were both walking along the boardwalk, separately to one another and not on patrol at the time, but both happened to be passing by the clubhouse at around 10:30 AM when they noticed that a member of the public, who looked unusually pale, was sitting outside the clubhouse with Patrol 8 Vice Captain David Freedman, who was on patrol at the time. The person in question was in her 70’s and did not appear to be fully conscious. Michael Nearhos suggested that the patient should be carried to the first aid room, while Kate called 000 for an ambulance. At this point PC Michael Boland appeared and proceeded to do FAST checks and put the patient on Oxygen and Pulse Oximeter.  Measures looked reasonable but the patient was delirious and drifting in and out of consciousness. The ambulance was updated as to the patient’s deteriorating condition, so Kate was instructed to count breaths to ambulance officer, who increased the urgency of the callout. Michael Nearhos took what details he could from the patient, noting that she was allergic to morphine, had heartburn and had taken Gaviscon. At this point Michael decided that the symptoms seemed very similar to those of a cardiac incident. At this point Michael Boland took charge as the ambulance arrived and the patient’s condition deteriorated significantly. Due to the rapid deterioration of the patient’s condition, Michael Boland decided that it was appropriate to place defibrillator pads on the patient and place her on Oxygen as her Oxygen Saturation level dropped to 40% from an initial measure of 90%. An intensive care paramedic then arrived and attempted to stabilise patient with medication, ultimately deciding to immediately rush the patient to hospital, where her condition eventually stabilised due to the early intervention of the North Bondi SLSC Patrollers. The ambulance officers contacted the SLSS duty officer to note that this situation was truly “touch and go” and that had they not intervened, it was highly likely the patient would not have survived. As always, North Bondi patrollers were Ready, Aye Ready!