Tireless lifeguards work loaded beaches

TONY BAKER

As the holiday-makers slowly pack up and head home, Mangawhai lifeguards are reflecting on one of the busiest summers they have experienced. With Covid keeping everyone in New Zealand, and beautiful warm weather, the beaches along the Mangawhai Coast have been loaded. The Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service (MHVLS) had a record number of serious incidents, both during patrol hours and after hours.

“Our lifeguards have worked tirelessly this summer and can be really proud of their achievements” said MHVLS club president Jon Drucker. “That is, saving lives and keeping our public safe.”

Most recently, on January 17, MHVLS lifeguards were involved in an offshore response to a dire medical incident. The volunteer patrol were notified of a serious incident 3-5km offshore and responded to find the patient with numerous cuts and lacerations, and a severe life-threatening wound from being entangled in the prop of their vessel.

“Our lifeguards also had a medic on board, and they were able to provide critical life support to the victim, until he was winched off the vessel on to the rescue helicopter,” said Drucker. “The victim was transported to Whangarei Hospital in the NEST Rescue Helicopter and was in serious but stable condition. We think our intervention quite possibly saved a life on this one.”

The rescue was one of nine incidents this summer where MHVLS lifeguards required the NEST Rescue Helicopter or St John ambulance to transport patients for further care. Club volunteers also attended numerous after-hours incidents including a dramatic late night Emergency Call Out Squad rescue of a patient who suffered a stroke onboard a vessel in the Mangawhai Harbour.

“So far this season our volunteer and Surf Life Saving Northern Region professional lifeguards have been involved in nearly twenty serious incidents, from boats needing assistance to major medical events including a heart attack and two spinal injuries,” said Drucker. “We didn’t have a huge amount of swell over the busy period, but we've noticed a big increase in other beach related incidents along the Mangawhai coast, including searches and medical events between Langs Beach and Pakiri.”

The MHVLS Junior Surf Program resumed in early January with nearly 150 kids attending Sunday morning trainings. Lifeguard instructors have also been busy preparing a new bunch of 20 trainees for their Surf Lifeguard Award, as well as training a number of lifeguards for their IRB Drivers award.

On behalf of MHVLS we would like to the thank the public for an amazing summer season, and especially for their great support during our annual Door Knock event in December. MHVLS lifeguards will continue volunteer patrols until Easter Monday 2021.

Some of the MHVLS team, from left, Mark Vercoe, Mike Ardern, Geoff Sim, and Andrew Mumford. PHOTO/SUPPLIED