In 2015, surfers Kyle Dalbey, Brent Bowen and Natalie Anzivino rescued a Manhattan Beach Middle School body boarder who had been knocked unconscious in big surf under the Manhattan Beach pier. (Anzivivino has since become a Los Angeles County Lifeguard.)
It wasn’t an uncommon rescue. Surfers are often the first to reach swimmers and fellow surfers in distress.
As a result, Los Angeles County Lifeguards have developed a program to teach rescue techniques to surfers, aptly called SALT (Surfer Awareness of Lifesaving Techniques).
Last month Lifeguards Emily Seth, Beck Adler, Cindy Brower and Jake Miller taught a SALT class to the Hermosa Valley School surf team.
During a classroom session in a tent on the beach, next to the Hermosa pier, Seth gave a slide presentation to the team.
But first, she offered some common sense advice. Call out to fellow surfers and lifeguards for help. Keep your surfboard between you and the victim to prevent the victim from “climbing the ladder,” or grabbing the person making the rescue.
Then she explained three R’s of rescuing.
Recognition: A weak swim stroke, catching breaths by bouncing off the bottom are signs of a struggling swimmer. Floating face down, and a “tombstoning” surfboard (pointing in the air) signal an unconscious swimmer
Reaction: Give the person your board for floatation. But don’t put yourself in jeopardy.
Response: Transfer your surf leash to the victim. Roll them onto your board. If the surf is too big to bring them to shore, pull them out past the surfline and wait for help.
Adler, a big wave rider, told the MBMS team to watch out for one another. If a surfer falls on a wave, watch for him or her to surface, even if it means missing a wave.
After the classroom session, despite overhead shorepound, the class broke into teams of two and practiced bringing one another in through the surf to the beach, and then carrying the victim up the beach and administering CPR.
MBMS surf team coach Jani Lange, and co-coaches Jex McCartney and Derek Brewer said the team didn’t need convincing to attend the class. The previous Friday, a member of MBMS team was taken to the hospital after she was hit by her surfboard. Teammates helped her ashore. ER
