Garie SLSC & SLSS SOG members recognised for Rescue of the Month

January 2021 certainly was busy on and around our beaches with some outstanding rescues being forwarded by Clubs for consideration of the Rescue of the Month.  

Jessika Hay, Louise Skjeime and Paul Cootes from Garie SLSC together to Duty Officers Kane Hughes, Joel Wiseman and RCO Matt Spooner have been awarded Branch Rescue of the Month for the rescue conducted at Watamolla on 22 January. 
The rescue of a 24 year old fisherman who had been swept off rocks in large surf and a friend running off to seek assistance. 
The fisherman was located after the Garie IRB members heard screaming some 2km south of  Watamolla. The fisherman was clinging to a pole, was incredibly weak and deteriorating.  This person is believed to have been in the water for an estimated 2 hours clinging to his floating fishing pole. The patient was  transported to hospital by Helicopter.
This out of hours  rescue also highlighted the effectiveness of  the SLSS initiative, the ‘back to back’ mobile repeater, which allowed all involved to effectively communicate in a well known black spot.  Congratulations to all involved – one lucky fisherman returning home to his family.

Special mentions of other outstanding nominations received :
 Maroubra SLSC members Cameron Fisher and Layla Bonnello for their out of hours assistance given to an elderly gentleman at Yarra Bay on 14 January who had collapsed and was unconscious, not breathing and unresponsive. Cameron & Layla’s training instinctively kicked in ultimtely keeping the patient alive until the ambulance and police arrived.  Amazing work by these members who were just at the beach having a swim on a Thursday afternoon.

Clovelly SLSC members who were patrolling at Garie on 9 January whom performed a significant mass recue of 5 swimmers who were simultaneously swept outside of the flags on this day. Rescues performed with tubes and boards to assist the swimmers and first aid and oxygen were required. The Clovelly lifesaving team were patrolling at an unfamiliar beach and effected a very successful mass rescue which was well resourced and implemented under Patrol Captain Brett McCormick.

Congratulations to all involved in these 3 notable rescues during the month of January 2021.