Tweed lifeguards Grace Hamilton and Lucas McLeod have saved the lives of a mother and son caught in a rip on Wednesday afternoon at Hastings Point.
On Wednesday, April 18 at 1pm the Hastings Point lifeguards were alerted of two people in distress 500m north of the flagged area.
Both lifeguards quickly responded, one grabbing a tube, the other a rescue board, and started the long run to the mother and child who had been sucked 100m off shore in a rip, in rough, messy, three foot swell.
By the time the lifeguards reached the patients, the mother was desperately trying to hold her son above the water as the waves constantly crashed down on the two of them. Lifeguards secured both patients, the boy on top of the rescue board and the mother wrapped in the tube and holding onto the rescue board to recover some energy before returning to shore.
When lifeguards reached the shore the mother was so exhausted she could not walk and rested while one lifeguard ran for the oxygen equipment; 000 was called via Surf Com and oxygen therapy was applied to the mother to treat both exhaustion and shock. The mother was then transported to the car park and was met by ambulance officers who treated her and took her to Tweed Heads Hospital.
“It has been a quiet week up here on the Tweed with rain and bad weather keeping beach visitations down, but this was definitely two lives saved and the lifeguards on duty did a wonderful job to get there and rescue the mother and child in time to save their lives,” said Jarrad Cain Tweed Lifeguard Supervisor.
“We know the majority of coastal drowning deaths are occurring when people get caught in rip currents and when rock fishing. So if there are only two messages you remember, make sure they are – always swim between the red and yellow flags and wear a lifejacket when rock-fishing and boating.”
For all patrolled beach locations, dates and times go to www.beachsafe.org.au or download the free ‘Beach Safe’ iPhone application.
