Waitarere Beach Surf Lifesaving Club Lifeguards Take Out Second Place In The Bp Rescue Of The Month

Two Waitarere Beach Surf Lifesaving Club lifeguards, Andrew Burns and Josh Sawyer, have won recognition for a rescue undertaken in December 2022, taking out second place in the bp Rescue of the Month.

On Saturday, 3 December 2022, the Club's Surf Lifeguards were undertaking a pre-season working bee to ready the club for the upcoming patrol season. When the working bee finished, two lifeguards - Andrew Burns and Josh Sawyer - remained at the beach to go for a swim.

At around 11.00 am they were alerted by Waitarere Beach Wardens that a person had been thrown out of their motorboat while trying to negotiate the surf. Andrew and Josh both grabbed rescue tubes and fins from the club and were driven to the location of the incident by the wardens. Upon arrival, the lifeguards could see that the patient was not wearing a lifejacket and had inappropriate clothing on. They could also see waves washing over the patient, and their head was bobbing up and down. Both lifeguards believed the person was near drowning and would have gone under within a minute or two.

14-year-old Josh Sawyer, who only a week earlier qualified as a Surf Lifeguard, was first in the water and swam out to the patient. Andrew, the Club Vice Captain, arrived moments later and they worked together to secure the patient into the rescue tube. The situation and conditions required the effort of both lifeguards to tow the person to the shore. The lifeguards faced another hazard as the throttle on the motorboat was stuck, and the boat continued to circle within meters of the lifeguards until it eventually washed ashore.

On reaching shore, the lifeguards monitored the person's condition for around 15 minutes after the incident. The person refused further medical help or advice to seek further medical attention and left the beach of their own accord.

Later in December, the patient visited the club and thanked Josh and Andrew for saving their life.

bp Head of Country NZ, Matt Elliott, says bp is proud to support incredible volunteer Surf Lifeguards like those who make up the Waitarere Beach Surf Life Saving Club.

“Since 1968 bp has been proud to stand behind Surf Life Saving New Zealand and its Surf Lifeguards who consistently put their amazing skills into action to keep us all safer at our beaches.”

For being awarded second place in bp Rescue of the Month, the Waitarere Beach Surf Lifesaving Club will be recognised with $300-worth of bp gift vouchers and a framed citation to display at their club.

Beach safety messages

• Choose a lifeguarded beach
• Swim between the flags
• Swim, surf or fish with a mate. It pays to have backup if someone gets into trouble.
• Wear shoes with grip and always wear a lifejacket when fishing on rocks
• Click here for other Beach Basics safety messaging.

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