Boys praised for rescue

Ocean Beach Surf Life Saving Club member Mr Scott Hannell has praised four young members of the club for their "calmness" and "maturity" in the rescue of two people at Caves Beach earlier this year.

"While at a club training camp earlier this year, four boys from the Ocean Beach Surf Club were involved in the rescue of two people at Caves Beach,"

"The boys, Wade Hannell, Blake Arahill, Jacob Mandy from the under-11 age group and Shaun Cole from the under-10s were enjoying a swim and a wave after a hectic weekend of training, when Shaun noticed two people in trouble.

"Shaun advised Wade of the situation at which Wade told Shaun to go and get help.

"Wade paddled his board out to the swimmers and along the way grabbed Jacob to come and help.

"Blake noticed the situation and grabbed Shaun's board to assist with the rescue.

"When Wade got to the swimmers, he noticed that there was a young boy and his mother. "The mother was ok but the boy was not doing too well and decided to try to get him on his board."

Mr Hannell said that, unable to get the boy on the board, Wade got into the water to lift him onto the board and by this time Blake had arrived to assist.

"Blake got onto Wade's board to help get the boy out of the water as quickly as possible," Mr Hannell said.

"Once they had the boy on the board, Blake started to paddle the boy back in.

"During this time, Jacob was with the child's mother reassuring her that everything was ok and allowing her to float on his board to get her breath.

"Blake, Jacob and Wade slowly paddled the pair back to shore.

"Meanwhile Shaun had run up the beach to raise the alarm and parents ran down to the beach to see what was happening."

Mr Hannell said two lifesavers from the Caves club swam out to assist, but the situation was "well and truly under control" by the time they had arrived.

"I have been involved with surf lifesaving for over 25 years and have never seen young boys act so calmly and maturely in the situation, they were in," Mr Hannell said.

"I think that it is a credit to them and to the movement that all the education, training does pay off, and that the future is in very capable hands.

"These boys are only nine and 10 years of age and have done something that most people are not even capable of doing."

Press release, November 23 Scott Hannell, Ocean Beach Surf Life Saving Club