Lifeguards Awarded For Heroic Acts At State Beaches

DANA POINT, CA — Several lifeguards received Heroic Act and Meritorious Act Awards this week during the Spring Board of Directors Meeting of the California Surf Life Saving Association.

“These individuals demonstrated quick-thinking, decisive action and bravery beyond the call of duty,” said Bill Humphreys, president of the CSLSA who presented the awards. “Their heroism is both inspirational and worthy of recognition.”

CA State Lifeguards Rescue Boat Operator Kirk Schoonover, Lifeguards Matt Sage, Victor Arellano, Diego Busatto, Emily Hagen, Derrick Lamb and Malcolm McClung were recognized for their role in a harrowing rescue involving a sailboat which broke anchor, and its seriously injured skipper who was wedged in the rocks and pounded by surf while trying to free the craft, in the west jetty of Dana Point Harbor on April 9, 2018.

Huntington State Beach Lifeguards Killian Rose and Aaron Hoff were honored for a dangerous night-time ocean rescue of two swimmers trapped in rough surf and strong rip currents who could only be located by sound, due to the darkness on Aug. 3, 2018.

August 8, 2018 Rescue at HB State Beach
At approximately 10:15 PM on the night of August 3, 2018, Huntington State Beach Lifeguards Killian Rose and Aaron Hoff were dispatched to a call of swimmers in distress near Huntington State Beach Lifeguard Tower #4.

Rose was the first to arrive on scene and located bystanders waving for assistance and pointing out into the dark sea.

The bystanders, friends of the eventual rescued victims, advised that two of their friends were in the surf, caught up in a ripe current and needed help. Rose responded shortly thereafter by followed by Hoff who arrived moments later.
The conditions that night were far less than favorable, with 2-3 foot surf, very strong rip currents, and little ambient light as there was no moon.

Rose, directed only by the sounds of the distressed swimmers, located them and initiated the rescue of both victims. Hoff then arrived shortly and took control of one of the victims.

Doug Leach, a Marine Safety Officer from the City of Huntington Beach responded as back-up to the State Lifeguards. He credits Hoff and Rose with doing an outstanding job under very difficult conditions, using impressive orienteering skills to locate and rescue the victims in near total darkness.

Both victims were released after follow-up treatment by HB Paramedics and transport to the hospital as a result of water inhalation.

April 9, 2018 Rescue from the Dana Point Jetty
At approximately 13:30 hours on Monday April 9th, 2018 a 16-foot sailboat anchored outside the west jetty of Dana Point Harbor with its sail raised. Due to the raised sail, the wind caused the anchor to loosen allowing the vessel to drift onto the rocks in 3-5 foot surf, as the skipper apparently lay sleeping in the boat.
Upon the collision with the rocks of the jetty the skipper was awakened, whereupon he jumped into the water and swam onto the jetty and attempted to free the vessel. He subsequently became trapped in the rocks himself and sustained broken bones, a severe head injury and facial lacerations.

Resources including a helicopter from the Orange County Fire Authority and State Beach Lifeguards from San Clemente and Doheny State Beach heard the distress from OC Harbor Patrol on Ch. 16, of a vessel in distress outside the Dana Point Jetties.

Surf Watch V Boat Operator Kirk Schoonover and his deckhand, Seasonal Lifeguard Matt Sage responded and put out to the other State Lifeguard personnel resulting in a response of five additional Lifeguard personnel from the State Beach including Victor Arellano, Diego Busatto, Emily Hagen, Derrick Laub and Malcolm McClung.

Upon arrival at the victim on the jetty, lifeguards treated and secured the badly injured victim while awaiting the arrival of a Fire Authority Paramedic to be lowered from the helicopter. They then prepared him for extrication from the jetty via OC Fire Rescue helicopter.

Off duty Lifeguards McClung and Laub entered the water from a US Tow Boat to “hook-up” the damaged sailboat and pull it away from the scene to prevent injury to all the other rescuers on the jetty.

Schoonover received the Meritorious Act Award, while Lifeguards Arellano, Busatto, Hagen, Laub, McClung and Sage received the Heroic Act Award.