Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club member Richard Garnsey’s efforts to rescue three people in two separate incidents at Cronulla beach last December was recognised with the Rescue of the Year award at the 2015 Surf Life Saving NSW Awards of Excellence last weekend.
Mr Garnsey, a Sutherland Shire Council employed lifeguard, arrived early for work at 7am on the day when he was told a swimmer was caught in a rip about a kilometre off shore.
His efforts earned him the NSW Surf Life Saving Rescue of the Month award.
Mr Garnsey, who has 28 years’ experience as a lifesaver and 18 years as a professional lifeguard, said it was the most difficult rescue.
After going to the swimmers’ aid and assisting him back to the safety of the beach, and still out of breath, Mr Garnsey was notified that two surfers were drifting off Cronulla Point and appeared to be struggling.
This time he alerted his supervisor and paddled back out in the three-metre swell. When he reached the two surfers, it turned out that they were a father and son. He realised that they were in trouble after their leg ropes had snapped. The pair were clinging onto the one board and neither were particularly strong swimmers.
Mr Garnsey got the father on his board and got the son to paddle next to him. A heavy set crashed through, forcing him to hold down the father so he wouldn’t come off, while he also urged the son to dive as deep as he could.
The trio battled the surging conditions for over 15 minutes until another lifeguard, Jon Lavers, was able to reach them and in separate attempts eventually managed to return them all to the safety of the beach.
“It’s an honour to be recognised for this rescue,’’ Mr Garnsey said, accepting his award.
‘‘The training that I have received both as a lifesaver and a lifeguard really kicked in and I needed all my skills that day. It was one of those big days with heavy sets that you don’t want to experience too often, but when you do you have to be confident in your ability to help,” Mr Garnsey said on Saturday.
“We worked as a team and it’s pleasing we were able to help prevent a dangerous situation.”
Almost 350 of Surf Life Saving’s top lifesavers, athletes, educators, coaches, and administrators from around state attended the awards on Saturday, August 29, at the Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney, with seven-time world champion surfer Layne Beachley as Master of Ceremonies.
