The rescue of a badly injured surfer off a remote beach near Karekare has won Rescue of the Year at Surf Life Saving Northern Region’s annual Awards of Excellence in Auckland on Saturday (subs: 17 July).

The Award was presented jointly to United North Piha Lifeguard Service (UNPLS) and the Piha Paid Lifeguard Service whose lifeguards combined to effect the rescue on 17 February this year.

Lifeguards at the two clubs were alerted to the surfer’s plight by members of the public who had spotted him from a walking track above the beach at Mercer Bay writing “HELP” in the sand before collapsing. The Patrol Captain at UNPLS immediately tasked the Rescue Water Craft (RWC) to respond, and requested a crew member from Piha SLSC, to ensure both patrols continued to operate unaffected.

The lifeguards spotted the surfer, Ben Searancke, signalling them from the beach and determining he was in immediate danger, crafted a plan to make the rescue despite the large surf and steep beach. Because the shorebreak waves were large, the RWC was unable to be beached, so one crewman swam to the beach to apply emergency first aid, while the other manned the craft beyond the breakers. The victim was able to be picked up by the RWC eventually and taken to Piha and stabilised before being safely transferred to Auckland Hospital.

The two other finalists in Rescue of the Year were Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service for the rescue and support of a boatie injured 3km offshore and Karekare Surf Life Saving Club’s rescue of four teenage girls, one of whom unfortunately passed away en-route to Hospital.

SLSNR CEO Matt Williams says the winning rescue showcased the professionalism of the two Patrol Captains who worked together to coordinate a complex rescue while also maintaining their existing operations on a busy beach day.

“But all three rescues were an excellent demonstration of the importance of having skilled lifeguards with the right equipment available to act quickly in complex and dangerous situations to save lives.”

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