You just go with your instinct.
So says the humble 14-year-old off duty volunteer surf lifesaver who saved a man’s life in October.
When Year 8 student Ashton Davies hit the surf early one Sunday with his mate Max, it started out like any other day at Sydney’s iconic Manly Beach. One minute, the teens were casually paddling on their boards, and the next, Ashton heard a desperate cry for help. Instinctively, he rushed to the swimmer who was in distress. By this stage, the water had become very choppy, and Ashton noted the man was looking exhausted and pale in the face.
The distressed swimmer, a local named Sam, was an experienced ocean swimmer. Even so, as he would later tell the Manly Observer: “At that stage, my body just started saying ‘get me out of here’. I was exhausted and started yelling that I was in trouble.”
“Ashton didn’t hesitate. He came straight over and I remember him saying: ‘Don’t worry Sir, we’ll get you to the beach.’ ”
Sam recalls Ashton jumping into the water and helping him onto his board, but he doesn’t remember much more of the rescue. That’s because he was slipping in and out of consciousness as Ashton expertly navigated them back to shore with his buddy Max by his side.
Within 10 minutes, the ambulance arrived and Sam, who had swallowed a huge amount of
saltwater, was rushed to hospital. If this courageous 14-year-old hadn’t come to his rescue, Sam is convinced he would not have survived his ordeal.
Surf lifesaving is in the blood for young Ashton, who had only just turned 14 when he saved Sam’s life. The now junior volunteer surf lifesaver joined Manly Life Saving Club when he was just 5 years old and completed the Nippers program. His mother, Georgina, is a long serving volunteer surf lifesaver at the Manly Surf Club, as is her sister Mel, a three-time Australian Life Saving Champion and a Life Member of the Club.
Whether off duty or on patrol, our heroic volunteers are trained to respond in times of emergency, just as Ashton did that morning at Manly Beach. And in many cases, like Ashton’s, they commit to a gruelling personal training regime.
Behind the scenes, to support these incredible volunteers, Surf Life Saving Australia invests thousands of dollars every year to maintain their lifesaving equipment – from power craft like inflatable rescue boats to patrol equipment including rescue fins and rescue boards. Then there’s the cost of critical medical equipment such as defibrillators, oxygen resuscitation and spinal management equipment, and First Aid Kits.
Add in the cost of training new volunteer surf lifesavers and helping to educate the Australian community about beach safety, and you can see why Surf Life Saving Australia desperately needs your support.
Every dollar you donate sends a powerful message of support to volunteer surf lifesavers like Ashton. As he told us recently: “I understand that not everyone has the time or the ability to volunteer like we do, but a donation makes a huge difference in supporting our lifesaving community.”
Over the Christmas weekend alone, our dedicated volunteer surf lifesavers performed 14,236 preventative actions, returning 116 loved ones home to their friends and family and administered more than 1,000 first aid treatments.
Beach heroes like Ashton need – and deserve – your support. May his story inspire you to donate to the Surf Life Saving Foundation today.
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.