Wherever there’s a surf lifesaver, they are ready and willing to protect the community and save a life.
Saving lives can be likened to going into battle; surf lifesavers rely upon their training, lifesaving equipment and rescue instinct to respond in an emergency, not knowing exactly what they will be faced with.
Speed and skill on display as crew jet to dramatic rescue
Rock fishing can be incredibly dangerous when conducted without the right precautions. In 2021/22, 11% of all coastal drowning deaths related to rock fishing. Considering only around 5% of the total population partakes in this past time, it is a frightening statistic.
Despite awareness campaigns which have been conducted over many years, unfortunately 30% of rock fishers never wear lifejackets, which is often the difference between survival and tragedy.
Collectively, we need to do more to curb the preventable loss of life around the coast. In the past summer alone (December 2022-February 2023), 54 lives were lost to coastal drowning. Across the 2021/22 period that number was 141 - more than one coastal drowning death every three days over the year.
This is the 50th year that jet rescue boats have been used by Surf Life Saving South Australia, and they continue to do an incredible job. These unique craft are able to get to locations at high speed, making for an agile resource which can operate in a range of conditions and have been central to saving countless lives for half a century.
After receiving the call, Jim’s crew wasted no time and swung immediately into action. How quickly Lifesaver 3 could make the journey from Middleton to Port Elliot would be critical to whether this incident finished in joy or tragedy.
Jim and his crew members - Emma Fitzpatrick and Matt Creiton - quickly delegated themselves into roles. “We went through a brief rundown of what we’d be doing, what everyone’s roles would be,” said Jim. “At this stage we didn’t know if we could just pick someone up from the boat, whether we’d have to send someone into the water - we just didn’t know much about what we’d see.
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“We didn’t know if they’d be swimming, if they were conscious, if there was more than one person in the water. During the briefing, Emma decided she’d be the one to go into the water.
“When we arrived there was a police officer on the rocks, signalling to us with the strobe light on his torch so we knew we were in the right spot.”
It had taken just eight minutes to get to the location and upon arrival it was clear this would be a tricky operation with turbulent conditions and rocks jutting out all around them. Lifesaver 3 needed to navigate around a granite breakwater before they were beneath the location of the police officer. It was only then that they were able to see the fisherman who had fallen from a boulder above them.
“Fortunately he had a lifejacket on - so thankfully people are now starting to get the message - but he was floating face down,” said Jim. “It’s the Southern Ocean coming straight at you there and the swells can be pretty dangerous.
“The boulder the fisherman was on was probably 4-6m high depending on the wave height, so to get knocked into the water shows how treacherous it can get there.”
After moving the jet rescue boat close to the patient, Emma dived in and moved a safe distance away. Emma was able to turn the patient over, secure him via the rescue tube and swim back towards the boat.
Jim reversed the boat slowly back towards Emma, and Matt assisted getting the patient on board.
He was barely conscious, but he was breathing. He was weak and his skin was pale. Cuts and abrasions were visible all over his body and he was exhibiting all the signs of inhaling a large amount of water.
The Lifesaver 3 crew had done an incredible job to perform the rescue, but the patient was not out of the woods yet.
This was a critical moment for not just the patient but also for the crew. Their actions in the crucial minutes to follow would influence how this story ends.
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Spinal boards provide rigid support to reduce the movement of a suspected spinal patient
Emma and Matt manoeuvred the patient onto the boat and placed him in the recovery position. Oxygen therapy was administered to assist with his faint breathing, although this was interrupted a number of times by the patient throwing up.
Jim had radioed nearby Port Elliot Surf Life Saving Club to clear an area of the beach for their pending arrival. The boat was beached close to the ramp near the surf club as a matter of expedience.
The Lifesaver 3 crew transferred the patient to Port Elliot patrolling members who assisted the patient to the SA Ambulance Service waiting in the club first aid room. The patient was treated at the scene then transported to hospital.
As the ambulance pulled away, the Port Elliot SLSC club members went back their patrol and Lifesaver 3 returned to duty.
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People arriving at the beach were blissfully unaware of what had taken place just moments earlier. They will likely never know the expertise, selflessness and teamwork which had just been displayed, resulting in the gift of life for someone they’ll probably never see again.
Jim, Emma and Matt never heard anything more about the condition of the patient once the ambulance left.
Never even found out his name.
The one thing they do know, is that he didn’t become a statistic.
“It is definitely one of the most dramatic rescues I’ve personally been involved in over the years, particularly in their Port Elliot area,” said Jim.
The resolute professionalism of Jim, Emma and Matt on that day in late December is something we should all be proud of. Their dedication to the cause, their instinctive actions and teamwork undoubtedly saved a life.
It should come as no surprise, then, that their actions have landed the trio a nomination for a Surf Life Saving Australia rescue award, a national initiative that recognises outstanding rescue skills and displays of resourcefulness in exceptional circumstances on or off the beach.
Without volunteers like Jim, Matt and Emma, and the many thousands more around the country, the number of families torn apart by preventable fatalities around the coast would increase dramatically. They really are heroes and their value should never be taken for granted.
Purchasing and maintaining equipment, such as the jet rescue boats used during the dramatic rescue at Port Elliot, is essential for keeping our coastline as safe as possible. Without donations, our heroic volunteers simply couldn’t provide the vital service which they deliver free of charge.
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All once-off online donations up to $250, and all online regular monthly donations of $6 (annual value $72) made to the SLSMISSIONZERO fundraising page on The Surf Life Saving Foundation website confirmed by a donation receipt from 08.00am Australian Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, 1 June 2023 will be matched by Isuzu UTE Australia to a total capped sum of $AUD84,874. Matched donations will appear on the SLSMISSIONZERO fundraising page, daily. The Surf Life Saving Foundation will notify supporters via its Surf Life Saving Foundation Facebook page when the dollar match is reached.
Did you know?
You may not realise that we are a charity and Surf Life Saving is a community-funded movement. That’s why we rely on generous Australians like you to keep our flags flying and our beaches safe.
Where does my money go? Can even a small donation help? Your questions answered.
The SLSF was established to support our unique not-for-profit community cause that exists through community donations, fundraising, corporate sponsorships and government grants.
With over 180,000 members and 315 affiliated Surf Life Saving Clubs, SLS represents the largest volunteer movement of its kind in Australia, and the world.
Every year millions of people visit our beaches, and thousands of these visitors find themselves in urgent need of a life saving rescue. This is what we are here for, to keep your family and friends safe in the water.
Your support today will ensure that millions of adults and children who visit the beach go home safely.
Did you know?
- It costs at least $850 to train a new volunteer to Bronze Medallion standard. Surf lifesavers are trained in First Aid, CPR and rescue techniques. Importantly, all of our lifesavers must continue to refresh and update their skills.
- Rescue gear and equipment are some of the largest costs associated with providing lifesaving services throughout Australia. A full life saving patrol can cost up to $80,000.
- Prevention is better than cure, and the best way to save lives at the beach is by teaching people how to stay out of danger. We run campaigns on how to spot rips and what to do if you are caught in one (swim parallel to the shore!).
No matter what area your donation goes towards, you can be sure that it will make a vital contribution to saving lives.
When we raise money for the Surf Life Saving Innovation Fund, this allows us to explore new initiatives, test new programs, and learn what works to accelerate lifesaving practices. Donors who give to our Fund understand that true innovation takes time and resources, that networks and connections are key levers for change, and that dollars invested in strengthening the sector and building capacity among all stakeholders will pay dividends down the road in the form of more effective lifesaving practices, more efficient funding streams, and amplified social impact.
The Surf Life Saving Innovation Fund enables you to target your donations to directly fund a specific project. The SLSF will provide progress updates to show how your donations are making a real difference to Innovation Fund projects.
Could you give regularly?
As well as training new volunteer surf lifesaver, your monthly donation helps repair and replace the equipment that constant exposure to the sun and sea can damage. As a Guardian of the Surf your monthly donation ensures that we are rescue-ready at a moment’s notice. You would be the silent hero behind every life saved.