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Top 10 Heroic Lifeguard Stories

Top 10 Heroic Lifeguard Stories

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A Morning Dip Turned Bad

A woman swam out to the open sea on Bronte Beach for a casual morning dip unaware of the nightmare that was about to unfold. Lifeguards Troy Stewart and Andrew Reid were on duty and Reid was joking about not wanting to be in the water on a day like that where the waters looked really rough. Just then, he noticed a woman struggling, waving and screaming for life quite far out in the sea! Both him and Stewart immediately ran down and into the waters, racing to reach the helpless woman. Stewart got to her first, scooped her from the waves and placed her on his surfboard before swimming back to shore. Reid, who was slightly behind, commented saying that the woman was actually going under for the last time before she would have drowned (he knew this based on experience) when Stewart pulled her out. Talk about saving someone at the LAST SECOND! Wally Eggleton, another guard who was there, also helped bring her back to shore.

Oh, but that’s not all there was to that morning. Another swimmer noticed the woman struggling and attempted to get to her too. But the swimmer ended up needing rescuing as well, to which lifeguard Anthony Carroll responded to and followed through!
Always on High Alert

You’d think that swimming pools are incredibly safe with a small number of drowning cases but you’ll be surprised at the search results you’ll see if you actually look it up. Lifeguard George Lee can attest to this as in 2011, when he was a lifeguard at Yio Chu Kang swimming pool, he noticed a man struggling in the water. Without a second thought, George Lee jumped into the water and rushed to get him out safely. The man was then taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital where it was learned that he had suffered a stroke mid-swim, which paralysed the left side of his body including his arm and leg. If George Lee had not been alert or was even a second later, the poor man’s fate might have ended differently.
The Sinking Car

Anthony Capuano spotted a car sinking into the Newark Bay and immediately jumped in when he noticed a man stuck in the car. Anthony was an off-duty lifeguard when this happened, so he had to remove his prosthetic leg before attempting the rescue mission. The man, who was unable to swim, was dragged to safety by this heroic lifeguard who didn’t hesitate to save a life. The man was brought to the hospital, recovered and is okay!
In a Split Second

If it was anyone else sitting up on the lifeguard tower that day, it would have appeared to be any other busy day, with parents and children splashing around in all corners of the pool. But the eye of this particular lifeguard managed to spot a kid barely drawing attention to himself despite his failing attempts to keep afloat. The lifeguard immediately sprung into action and saved the kid. If you were on the other end of the pool, by the time you figured what was going on, the whole incident would have been over. That’s how quick lifeguards react! Understand how important their jobs are now?
Drowning in a Crowded Pool

You would think that being at the edge of a pool or being surrounded by plenty of folks are surely fool-proof ways to keep you from drowning. If anything happened, someone around you would notice or you’ll be able to hold onto the edge of the pool, right? Wrong. A young boy was exactly in this situation when he found himself struggling to keep his head on top of water. What does anyone in such a situation do? Panic. Lucky for him, the lifeguard on duty spotted him struggling in a crowd of people and immediately jumped in to save him.
Former Lifeguard Saves the Day

A 21-year-old former lifeguard, Zion Leatham, saved the day and the lives of not one but two people. He happened to be on the beach when an on-looker started shouting for help and pointing at a man around 40m out. When Zion spotted a lady with a lifering and a man further up struggling in water, the memories of what he had learnt during his lifeguard course flashed across his mind and just like muscle memory, he immediately jumped in to help without thinking. When he was nearing the lady with the lifering, he realised he also had to save her as she had mentioned she wasn’t a good swimmer. Frustrated at her lack of accountability, he had to quickly think of a plan to save BOTH of them. He then held onto the lady, grabbed the man, and had to tread water for 25m before his feet could touch the ocean floor!
Barely above the Water

Lifeguard Aaron Forsyth noticed a woman struggling in the waters of one of Clacton’s most crowded beaches and immediately jumped in. He managed to keep the lady’s head above the water while waiting for his colleagues to rescue her on a boat. When they saw the condition she was in, not only were the paramedics called but also the Essex Air Ambulance. Lucky for her, her condition became more stable and she was taken to the hospital on the land ambulance instead!
First Day on The Job

How would you react if you had to save a 5-year-old boy on the first day of your new job as a lifeguard? Allow Lifeguard Aaron Aguilar to explain how that feels. Yes, his time spent learning and training to be a lifeguard (and his quick reflexes) was immediately tested on his very first day when he saved a little boy from drowning at a swimming pool!
Lifeguard Jake Butt

On Sandy Bay Beach, a worried sister frantically came up to Jake Butt to alert him of her sister struggling in the waters! This pair had previously been walking along a rocky reef when one of them was swept away, into the water, by strong waves. The girl tried her best to keep afloat but started disappearing from view. Jake immediately sprung into action and managed to grab a hold of her and brought her back to dry land where her condition eventually became stable.
How Young is Too Young?

18-Year-Old lifeguard Milyon Campbell didn’t think before jumping into the water when she noticed a boy drowning. His friends pushed him into the water while they were playing, but he started splashing which alerted Milyon Campbell that this was serious. Campbell reported being shocked after saving the boy but all that mattered to her was that he could go home safe to his family.

Conclusion



Here are some ways you can stay safe while swimming in open waters, advised by lifeguards:

  1. Respect the ocean. Look out for swimming conditions and water safety signs!
  2. Swim with a partner.
  3. Keep both eyes on your children AT ALL TIMES. Even when lifeguards are present.
  4. Keep away from the water if there’s alcohol in your system.
  5. If you find yourself in a situation you need to be rescued, try to stay as calm and composed as you can!

No matter how much of an expert you are at swimming, obeying the rules can never go wrong!


Join us at Condo Swimming Lessons to master your swimming techniques and be a confident swimmer. One day you might be interested to be one of them in this heroic job 

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Ashwini - SwimRay Content Writer

Ashwini Malathi

Content Writer

Hello everyone! I'm a gym enthusiast who gets very excited at the sight of dogs. Drinking teh tarik is my form of relaxation. I hope you share my passion for anything fitness-related through my writing!

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