Even when our lifesavers are off duty, training and instinct kicks in!


20-year-old Trent O’Shea was enjoying the shade at the Scamander Beach Hotel in Tasmania on a hot Saturday afternoon. But
his afternoon of leisure was interrupted by the sounds of screams from the beach. Mr O’Shea said. “I knew from the way he sounded, someone was in trouble.” Mr O’Shea has been involved in surf lifesaving since he was a child, having trained at
Clifton Beach before his family moved to Scamander when he was 13.

While work has since taken him to Launceston, he gets back to the East Coast every weekend to see his girlfriend, and to visit the Scamander Surf Club. Mr O’Shea said the screams kick-started years of training. He ran from the hotel, across the road and towards Scamander Beach, where several concerned visitors were looking on. The distressed man pointed Mr O’Shea out to sea, where his friend was drowning. Mr O’Shea said that neither man had been to Scamander before, and neither were strong swimmers.

“They underestimated the current,” Mr O’Shea said. “It can be so dangerous there at the river mouth, especially when there is
a big tide. Mr O’Shea snatched a foam body board from the man and got into the surf while his girlfriend, called an ambulance. After five minutes, he spotted the struggling swimmer. “He wasn’t looking too good,” Mr O’Shea said. “He had swallowed a lot of water and was going purple. “Another minute and he would have gone under.” Mr O’Shea put the board between himself and the man. “He could barely talk, but when he did say something, he told me that he thought he was going to die.” Mr O’Shea said after the dramatic rescue, “I’m just glad I was there to help.”

 

Trainees to the rescue


Recently, lifesavers undertaking training exercises at Broulee rescued a tourist and his son from tragedy. Billy Hughes - Tweedie and Ben McKay were training on racing boards when they noticed two people caught in a rip.

The boys' trainer, Darren Phillips, said, "The surf was a real mess on the day and the gentleman in question was in a lot of difficulty, he was really struggling to keep his son afloat and desperate to get to shore"

Calling on their training and rescue skills, lifesavers Billy and Ben paddled out to the father and son, pulled them onto their boards and returned them safely to shore. Phillips says, "Thanks to the actions of these boys no lives were lost. Both boys showed supreme skill and fitness in carrying out the rescue in what can only be described as treacherous conditions. We are all very proud of the result."

Surf Life Saving Lottery supporters make happy endings just like this one a reality â€" we thank you for your continued support.

 

Lifesavers come to the rescue in floods


With Mother Nature turning on her worst, Surf Life Saving volunteers have again answered the call assisting in flood rescue efforts throughout Queensland.

Surf Life Saving volunteers and Lifeguard Service staff have been actively engaged across a number of regions assisting wherever and whenever required. From patient transportation, evacuations, swift water rescues or providing food and water to those affected by this tragedy, our red and yellow army has been tirelessly working alongside emergency service personnel in Bundaberg, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Stradbroke Island, Mount Tambourine, Beaudesert, Jimboomba, Logan and Brisbane. 

The Surf Life Saver Rescue Helicopter, Lifesaver 5 (our EC135) has also played a vital part in the operations and performed 13 emergency rescues from roof tops and remote areas in addition to the transport of emergency service personnel and flood victims into and out of some of the worst hit areas in the Wide Bay area.

Your support makes these actions possible.  We are immensely proud of our volunteers and we hope you are too.

 

Lucky tourists thank rescuers

GRATEFUL: Ballina Surf Club members Joe Keane, Tim Hillyard, Rod Balkin, Scott Callaghan and Isabella Jones with French tourists Alex and Julie and Mark Thomson holding the surf rescue jerseys.

TWO very lucky French tourists showed their gratitude to their surf rescuers by returning to Shelly Beach to thank them last weekend.
The French couple arrived in Ballina last Sunday and went for a swim at the Shelly Beach.

They got into trouble in the rough surf at about 11am - but beach patrols for the season had finished on Anzac Day.

However, members of the Ballina Lighthouse and Lismore Surf Lifesaving Club were at Shelly Beach moving equipment from Lighthouse Beach in preparation for construction of the new Lighthouse Beach clubhouse.

And it was lucky for the couple the lifesavers were there.

Club member Mark Thomson noticed the tourists in trouble and within a few minutes, lifesavers in work boots, jeans and t-shirts had launched the IRB (rescue boat).

And club members Isabella Jones and Joe Keane headed out on rescue boards in response, while the ambulance was called.

Club president Kris Beavis said at the time : "The two patients were extremely lucky that we happened to be down here today, with rescue and lifesaving equipment at hand.

"Both patients were picked up and quickly transported back to the beach, where oxygen therapy and first aid assistance was applied until two teams of paramedics arrived and the tourists were transported to Ballina District Hospital at approximately 11.30am."

They were released early in the afternoon, and then returned to the beach to thank the lifesavers.

 

 

Why Support Surf Life Saving

Chances are you have heard beach rescue stories before - of how a volunteer Lifesaver came to the aid of someone in distress. Perhaps that someone was you. With summer now upon us, our volunteers are back in full swing for what will certainly be another demanding season.

Surf Life Saving has been providing this vital service for generations. Last year alone, these dedicated volunteers performed over 12,000 rescues nationally. Recently a grateful Dad, counting his blessings on Fathers Day, wrote to us to share his story.

“Many years ago while enjoying our annual beach holiday with my young family, I almost lost my son. One minute we were in the water cooling down and the next, my son was suddenly taken away from me…caught up in a flash rip. He was panicking and there was nothing I could do. I felt helpless and as a dad I thought I had failed him.”

“Then almost as quickly as he was taken away, he was returned to me. There was no fanfare or cheers, just a simple nod and a smile as a surf lifesaver brought Nathan back to me on a rescue board”.

“That 14 year old boy is now a father himself and that selfless act by a surf lifesaver has helped 3 generations of this family. Words cannot express how grateful we were to be given a second chance”

So to all our Lottery supporters, we say Thank You – your continued support means our lifesavers can continue to deliver happy endings to families everywhere.

 

 

Back to the Beach

 

With summer just around the corner the familiar red and yellow caps will soon return to beaches all around Australia as volunteer Surf Lifesavers go back on patrol. Despite the presence of regular patrols at some of our favourite beaches, Surf Life Saving is still urging people to play it safe and remember to take precautions when heading to the beach this summer.

While lifesavers are on duty to look after swimmers and ensure their safety, it’s important that all beachgoers follow some simple rules to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. Always stay within your depth when swimming; listen to any
instructions given by life savers on duty and only swim between the red and yellow flags.

Remember if we can't see you, we can't save you.

For more information on when patrols start at your favourite beach, visit www.sls.com.au.

 

 

Junior Lifesaver Becomes a Hero

Your support of Surf Life Saving Lotteries makes a real difference to the community. Funds raised through our Lotteries are directed back to support our volunteers and help them do what they do best – save lives.

Surf Life Saving is also educating a whole new generation of future lifesavers who share the vision of keeping people safe on our beaches and in the wider community.

Future lifesavers just like Sean - he may be too young to do patrols, but this incredible nipper has already saved a life.

Picture courtesy of the Courier Mail

Sean, a junior lifesaver from the Sunshine Coast, became an accidental hero while out surfing with his twin brother Elliot between Maroochydore and Alexandra Headland in March this year.

"A man came up floating on his back with his eyes closed. He suddenly opened them, looked at me and said 'help'," Sean said.

"I paddled over and put him on my board."

Sean realised the pair were in the same rip that had put the man in danger hundreds of metres from the nearest patrol.

Pushing the board and swimming alongside it, he angled across the rip before heading back to the beach in safer water.

The man Sean saved was full of praise for the nipper and his wife wrote Sean and his club a heartfelt thank-you letter.

Sean’s club was so impressed by his efforts, he has now also been nominated for a Lifesaving Excellence Award.

 

 

Summer's Over, What's Next?

Summer may end soon, but our volunteer Surf Lifesavers are still hard at work, and as the season draws to a close they are busy taking stock of the damage done to gear and equipment by the sun, sand and sea water.

Every year, the lifesaving equipment our volunteers rely on to do their job needs to be repaired and replaced.

Thousands of people just like you and I are rescued every patrol season with tens of thousands more preventative actions being performed by our Surf Lifesavers – all using this vital gear and equipment.

The tireless efforts and rescues performed by our selfless volunteers are only made possible through your support.

Your purchase of Lottery tickets not only has the potential to change your life for the better, but it can also change the life of people you may never meet.

 

 

Beach to Bush Program 2012

The Telstra Beach to Bush Program offers students in regional areas an introduction to Surf Life Saving and the vital surf safety skills required to stay safe in an aquatic environment. Qualified Surf Lifesavers visit classrooms across the country to deliver interactive surf safety lessons using lifesaving equipment.

The program is designed to increase awareness of the risks associated with the surf and local waterways and show children how to minimise these risks. Children from regional communities are often less familiar with the potential dangers of the surf and the program aims to reach those children before they reach the beach.

The program, which is going into its eighth year in Queensland, is the largest and most innovative surf education program in Australia today, reaching more than 70 schools and 10,000 students each year.

 

Surf Lifesavers rescue Noosa Coast Guards

South Bank chef Lewis Park owes his life to Brock Smith. Earlier this year, Lewis suffered a heart attack on Melbourne Street as he was heading to work at the Convention Centre. Brock rushed to Lewis’s assistance, performing CPR until an ambulance arrived.

Lewis was de-fibbed four times by the ambulance crew and a further 14 times once he reached the hospital. He has since undergone a triple bypass and has made a steady recovery. Doctors said he had a 3% chance of survival if not for the quick actions of Brock, a volunteer surf lifesaver.

Lewis recalls the incident “when Brock and I met I was on a South Brisbane footpath, on the ground after having a total Cardiac Arrest, turning blue and barely breathing,” he said.

“Brock took charge, organising the people around him, towels for my head, an oxygen mask, phoning an ambulance, and of course giving me CPR for over 20 minutes. We are talking deep CPR to get past the rib cage to the heart. I was as good as dead, but Brock never gave up and, with all his training as a Surf Lifesaver, I was kept alive till an ambulance arrived.”

“Brock Smith is my real life hero, my family’s hero, and the Surf Lifesaver who gave me a second life.”

As a Kurrawa Surf Lifesaver Brock is proficient in CPR; however SLSQ Chief Operations Officer George Hill said everyone should consider learning CPR.

“Time is of the essence in situations like this, and knowing CPR means the patient can receive vital medical attention during those first few crucial minutes,” he said. “It could easily have resulted in tragedy for Lewis and his family, but instead he’s been given another chance at life thanks to Brock’s training and swift actions. CPR is a skill all Australians should possess.”

Surf Life Saving Queensland’s Community Training department provides accredited training in areas such as first aid, CPR and advanced resuscitation, transferring the skills the Surf Lifesaving movement has been teaching for more than a century to the general public. All course fees are reinvested back into keeping lifesavers on the beach. For course information, contact SLSQ on 07 3846 8000.

 

Surf Lifesavers rescue Noosa Coast Guards

Surf Lifesavers rescue Noosa In January this year, a Noosa Coast Guard vessel was heading out on patrol, manned by an extremely experienced crew, when it flipped over after being hit by a freak wave. While initially trapped underwater, the crew of four had to swim for their lives, with one crewman suffering horrific injuries to his foot when it came into contact with the boat's propeller.

A Surf Life Saving Jet Boat was heading back in over the Noosa sandbar at the time and saw the incident occur. The crew of the jet boat immediately radioed for assistance and rescued three of the crew, before the arrival of a Surf Lifesaver on a Waverunner who rescued the fourth crew member. A Surf Life Saving Inflatable Rescue Boat crew also attended the scene to assist in the recovery efforts.

After the Coast Guard crew were taken to the shore, three additional Surf Lifesavers applied their first aid training to stabilise the patients while awaiting the arrival of the Queensland Ambulance Service. The crew of the boat were all treated in hospital and have made full recoveries from their ordeal.

Rescue gear and equipment represents the biggest single cost to running lifesaving services. The sun, surf and sand are the reasons we love going to the beach, but these are also the very elements that damage the rescue gear and equipment that our Surf Lifesavers use every day. Surf Life Saving relies on the support from the community to continue to keep our beaches safe.

Just think how much equipment was required for this rescue?
In January this year, a Noosa Coast Guard vessel was heading out on patrol, manned by an extremely experienced crew, when it flipped over after being hit by a freak wave. While initially trapped underwater, the crew of four had to swim for their lives, with one crewman suffering horrific injuries to his foot when it came into contact with the boat's propeller.

A Surf Life Saving Jet Boat was heading back in over the Noosa sandbar at the time and saw the incident occur. The crew of the jet boat immediately radioed for assistance and rescued three of the crew, before the arrival of a Surf Lifesaver on a Waverunner who rescued the fourth crew member. A Surf Life Saving Inflatable Rescue Boat crew also attended the scene to assist in the recovery efforts.

After the Coast Guard crew were taken to the shore, three additional Surf Lifesavers applied their first aid training to stabilise the patients while awaiting the arrival of the Queensland Ambulance Service. The crew of the boat were all treated in hospital and have made full recoveries from their ordeal.

Rescue gear and equipment represents the biggest single cost to running lifesaving services. The sun, surf and sand are the reasons we love going to the beach, but these are also the very elements that damage the rescue gear and equipment that our Surf Lifesavers use every day. Surf Life Saving relies on the support from the community to continue to keep our beaches safe.

Just think how much equipment was required for this rescue?

 

Supporting Lotteries Saves Lives

Coinciding with the start of the 2010/2011 patrol season, two helicopters will be operating in South-East Queensland with the re-introduction of a dedicated rescue helicopter service for the Sunshine Coast. The additional craft will see our eye in the sky keep watch over the coastline from Bribie Island north to Rainbow Beach.

In the past year, Surf Life Saving Queensland’s membership has seen continued growth, with our 59 surf clubs now encompassing 35,958 dedicated members. This is the highest level in the movement’s history and as we celebrate the increased strength of the movement in the past season, we also look ahead to continuing excellence in the coming season.

The growth of our members and the expanded reach of the movement means as always, our volunteers cannot do their vital work without your support. Contributing to Surf Life Saving Lotteries means helping to keep beachgoers safe, by training our volunteer Surf Lifesavers and giving them the equipment needed to save lives.

 

Supporting Lotteries Saves Lives

Resuscitation is a skill all Surf Lifesavers learn, so when the Southport Patrol was called to a suspected heart attack case in the surf on January 31, instincts and training kicked in.

A gentleman in his 60’s, who had been swimming with his family, was rescued just north of the flags.  He was found face down in the water and with no signs of life.  Surf Lifesavers, within thirty seconds of the rescue, initiated and continued CPR for twenty minutes until ambulance officers arrived.

Southport Patrol Captain Craig Jones said it was through the quick thinking and actions of his team that they were able to bring the man back to life.

“Each patrol member performed a role in the rescue, each patrol member showed initiative when it was needed and each patrol member when asked, went beyond what they thought they could do.

“The important thing is that our patient is a husband, father and granddad and he can still be those things to his family.”

The support you give by purchasing lottery tickets helps to ensure that there are trained Surf Lifesavers on the beach whenever they are needed.

Nipper Receives Two Medals for Bravery

Surf lifesaver Mitchell Lewis is no ordinary teenager. His exceptional act of bravery last year has been awarded with not one, but two awards including a Pride of Australia Medal and an Excellence in Surf Lifesaving award.

At 13 years old, Mitchell was too young to be classified as a fully fledged lifesaver, but that didn’t stop the courageous Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club nipper from rescuing two people from dangerous surf conditions last year.

It was late afternoon and Mitchell’s patrol was packing up for the day when two of the club’s members saw a group of swimmers caught in a strong rip. Club patrol captain Kenny Lloyd and chief instructor Scott Andrews each grabbed a rescue tube and swam out to assist but it soon became clear they would need help bringing the struggling swimmers safely back to shore.

Without hesitation, Mitchell grabbed a rescue board and paddled out to help one swimmer. Moments later, he was ordered back out to rescue a second man. Mitchell managed to pull the exhausted swimmer onto his rescue board and surf a wave into the beach.

The teen braved two metre swells to save the two adult men but Mitchell said he was only doing what anyone else would do in the same situation. “The adrenalin starts to rush and you don’t even think about what you’re doing, you just rely on your training,” he said.

CEO of Surf Life Saving Queensland Tony Scanlan praised Mitchell’s courageous efforts. “For a youngster of 13 to go into the water and save somebody is just phenomenal,” he commended.

Mitchell credits his Surf Life Saving Club’s nipper program for teaching him the vital lifesaving skills and courage he needed to save the lives of two men. Of course, the training and rescue equipment that Mitchell and many other volunteer lifesavers call upon each year comes with a big price. If not for our community supporters, who generously donate to the Surf Life Saving Foundation, we could not cover the cost associated with training l

Nipper Saves Seizure Victim - Her own mother

Four years of Nipper training proved a real lifesaver for a school girl from Port Douglas, QLD.

Baylie Fletcher is just 11-years-old and recently saved her mother from further injury following a seizure. The courageous girl found her mother Tracey, 38, unconscious and face down in the family home. Tracey, who had no previous history of seizures, had smashed her eye socket and cheekbone after collapsing on a tile floor.

The blood streaming from her mouth and nose could have obstructed Tracey’s airways. But because Bailey is enrolled in the Port Douglas Surf Life Saving Nipper program and has often watched the first aid training of older surf lifesavers, she knew exactly what to do to save her mother’s life.

Baylie began by rolling her mother into the recovery position. After checking for a pulse, she started administering CPR and then called an ambulance. QLD Ambulance and Mossman area director Warren Martin praised Baylie’s quick thinking, “She’s done an excellent job. It appears her training has come to fruition in a real event.”

Of course Baylie’s mum couldn’t be more grateful. “I’m so overwhelmed and proud about what she did and how coordinated she was,” Tracey Fletcher says.

Baylie’s family and the team at Surf Life Saving aren’t the only ones who are proud. You should be too. Your support helps to provide First Aid and surf safety training to up-and-coming Nippers like Baylie. Thank you!

 

International Star Saved

Teenage volunteer surf lifesaver, Sam Doonan, will never forget the day of his first lifesaving rescue. For Sam and his brother Joe, Sunday, October 21 was supposed to be a day for a leisurely swim at Kings Beach, Caloundra QLD but this shortly turned into a dramatic surf rescue.

For New Orleans singer/songwriter Jon Cleary, his plan for this Sunday morning was also a swim at Kings Beach, before performing as a major act at the Caloundra Music Festival later that night. However, Jon’s enjoyable swim at the beach turned into fear when he became caught in a major rip.

It wasn’t too long until the force of the rip became too much & the exhausted swimmer had gone under the water twice. Luckily, Sam Doonan, an off duty lifesaver with Metropolitan Caloundra SLSC spotted Jon signalling for desperate help and quickly came to the rescue on his surf board, towing him safely to shore. Little did Sam know, he had just rescued a famous patient, and was equally just as happy to have saved a life!

“I didn’t have a clue. He was just another bloke out there,” Sam said. “It was really special. It was worth it, definitely.” Sam’s rescue skills, acquired through his lifesaver training, paid off on this Sunday.“My dad wanted me to get into surf lifesaving because he wanted me to get a better understanding of the surf,” he said.

And thanks to Sam’s quick actions, Mr Cleary was given oxygen by fellow patrolling lifesavers before being taken to Caloundra Hospital. The famous blues singer described the experience of getting caught in a rip as terribly frightening.“I started swimming back and I realised as hard as I was swimming, I wasn’t getting anywhere,” Mr Cleary said.

Luckily, Jon recovered from his near drowning experience and went ahead with his performance on the Sunday evening where he payed tribute to his rescuer. Ironically, Metropolitan Caloundra SLSC was a major beneficiary from the performance.

Nippers to the Rescue

On beaches throughout the country, thousands of lifesaving rescues have been performed by lifesavers and even a group of nippers from Tallebudgera Beach, Queensland have got in on the action.

In late February, a man and two boys were close to drowning when a group of nippers in the midst of training were alerted and came to their rescue.

The team of nippers instinctively jumped on their rescue boards and paddled into the surf to bring the man and two boys safely back to shore.

One of the nippers, Rebecca Micallef, 13, said there had been no time to think, she just acted immediately. “There were three people in the surf who were in trouble and we just got on our boards and started paddling out there,” she said.

In addition to Rebecca, nippers Daniel Walker and David King, both 12, took turns in towing the man back safely to shore.

“He was hanging on to the back and me and Dave paddled him back in,” said Daniel.

The successful rescue caused a great sensation among the group. The rescue was the first for these courageous youngsters and all were thrilled they could put their training into a real-life situation.

“It was pretty exciting being able to rescue someone,” said Rebecca. “I’m in nippers because I love the beach and I want to help save lives.”

Renee's "Verry Brave" Lifesavers

“I was trying to swim back and I couldn’t get back in; I was being taken out so fast. It was really scary. I couldn’t see Michael and Chelsea. I thought they had drowned.”– Renee, 8 years

Renee’s vivid recollection of what happened to her and her brother and sister might make you shudder to think about, but consider how lucky she is to be remembering anything at all.

Holidaying from Melbourne on a scorching Queensland summer’s day on Sunday 7 January at Surfer’s Paradise, the three Cottonaro children– Renee, and 9 year olds Chelsea and Matthew – raced to the ocean the moment they arrived at the beach with their family.

Renee, Chelsea and Matthew are active nippers with the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club and live opposite the beach in Melbourne, so are experienced swimmers for their ages. The eager children had only been in the water for a few minutes when the strong surf conditions suddenly and unexpectedly turned dangerous.

A flash rip formed just outside the flagged area and dragged the three siblings out to sea, leaving their parents watching helplessly from shore. In seconds, the patrolling lifesavers on duty spotted the children, assessed the situation and with swift action brought the children back to the arms of their parents. The Cottonaro children donated their pocket money to Surf Life Saving and sent a hand made thank you letter to the team that saved their lives.

Rookie Lifesaver Turned Hero

Someone cried, “can anyone do CPR?” Just hours before, 48 year old Barry Giles finished his Bronze Medallion, qualifying him as a volunteer surf lifesaver. Barry, his wife Caroline and other members of the Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club were training off duty last November when they heard the urgent plea from the waters edge.

A boogie board rider was dragging young Filipino student John Santiago from the surf as Barry rushed toward them. Kneeling over John’s lifeless body, Barry found no sign of a pulse or breathing. His recent training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was fresh on his mind as Barry realised that this was a life and death test of his skills. Barry and fellow lifesaver Robyn Jenkinson immediately started CPR at the new compression rates of 30 compressions to two breaths.

After two or three agonizing minutes, Barry felt a faint pulse. John began spluttering – he was breathing again! As Barry and Robyn worked on John, Caroline was racing to the scene with an oxy viva kit while Robyn’s husband Paul was collecting the rescue vehicle in case John had to be moved quickly. The paramedics arrived, administered oxygen to John and transferred him to ICU where, thanks to Barry, Caroline and their friends, he made a complete recovery.

Barry – this rookie lifesaver turned hero – couldn’t even swim when he moved from the UK to Australia 16 years ago. The swimming component was the toughest part of the Bronze Medallion certification process for him. Clearly, he is up to the challenge of being a lifesaver.

Today, Barry and Caroline Giles say that Surf Life Saving is the best thing that’s happened to them since moving from Brisbane to Noosa 3 years ago. They love the new lifestyle it has opened up for them and they only wish they could have been involved at an earlier age. Barry and Caroline were thrilled to receive a Christmas card from John with a note of thanks from his parents.