Lifeguard Weekly News – Rescue Skills

Lifeguards are known to be protective, compassionate, eagle-eyed and have a daredevil attitude when we have water troubles. With all the scanning to and fro and careful focus lifeguards have to keep while on duty (and sometimes off duty), perhaps the true test of a lifeguards bravery and rescue skills is when a heroic act is expected of him or her.

Here on LifeguardTimes™, we are dedicated to putting a spotlight on these acts of heroism that happen each week. This week’s news features rescues from Newton, Brown County, India, and Northland.

Here’s what’s making the news this week:

Northland Heroes Rescue Two Divers Stuck In The Rock

An Ahipara surf rescue team of four (Thom Anderson, Kate Clarke, Anthony Walker, Tony Walker) reacted first to a call for rescue. An alarm had been raised at 4.45pm reporting two divers trapped on rocks under the cliff to the west of Tapotupotu Bay. The rescue team received the call at about 6 pm and within five minutes the team headed out in an IRB on the 125km trip to Tapotupotu Bay from Ahipara.

With 3m high swells and terrifying ocean conditions, Anthony Walker braved the sea and swam out to the patients on the rocks, bypassed a gut and strapped a lifesaving tube on the younger of the two men. Both Walker and the younger man swam back to the IRB.

One rescue was enough for Anthony Walker, as he traded places with Anderson who swam out from the IRB to go rescue the second man.

Speaking on the incident, club president Tony Walker said the incident was what the lifeguards trained for and seeing as they were the last line of defense, they had no choice but to save the stranded divers.

Off-Duty Lifeguard Rescues Unconscious Girl From Community Pool

“Once a lifeguard … always a lifeguard” being off duty didn’t stop John Riker from rescuing an unconscious girl at Newton Pool. Riker, an employee at Boston Sports Club was off lifeguarding duties on Saturday, March 4, 2017, when he spotted an unconscious girl on the ground across the Newton Pool surrounded by other staffers.

The unconscious girl had been attending a party prior to the incident. Reports say it was unclear why she fell unconscious because she never got in the water. Riker had to perform two rounds of CPR before the little girl could be revived.

Teen Lifeguard And Park Coworkers Save A Man’s Life

19-year-old Eli White was lifeguarding at the pool at Abe Martin lodge on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, when he was alerted that a man entering the dining room to have lunch had collapsed on the floor.

White sprinted to the scene to find the man who was said to be in his early 60’s lying in the hallway breathing uneasily. Thanks to lifeguard training, White instructed a park employee to put AED on the patient’s chest as help performed compressions. It took 5 sets of compressions and 2 shocks from the AED to get a pulse from the patient.

Following his recuperation, the victim was transferred in an ambulance to a nearby hospital where he is said to be recovering. Witnesses speaking on the event say the 19-year-old lifeguard showed impressive professionalism to keep his head and have the wherewithal to execute his job effectively.

Lifeguard On Honeymoon Rescues Stricken Swimmer

There is no telling what could have happened to a 35-year-old Russian victim identified as Michail Sukachev if Phil Blackwood had turned a blind eye. Phil, a Welsh lifeguard on honeymoon in India was at Varkala Beach with his wife Ana (also a lifeguard) when he was alerted to a swimmer who had been swept out by large waves.

Braving the sea, beating tough currents as well as surpassing a language barrier (seeing as Phil was Welsh and the victim was Russian) – Phil still managed to maneuver Sukachev through the waves and back to land.╚

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