Santa Cruz Firefighter Honored For Off-Duty Surf Rescue

SANTA CRUZ, CA — A Central Fire Protection District of Santa Cruz County firefighter was honored last week by the fire chief for making an off-duty trip to save 10 surfers stranded in a Pleasure Point beach cove during high tide.

Dustin Marty made several trips back and forth to reach the surfers, one by one, and help them back to the beach, fire officials say. Marty, a decade-long veteran of the district, told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that he wasn't planning on surfing in the high-tide, moderate-swell conditions, but decided to jump in after he drove past a group of surfers improperly wearing wetsuits and using swimming goggles.

Dispatchers broadcast around 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 28 that rescuers may need to rappel down the cliff to reach the 10 people stranded in the cove below East Cliff Drive, at the end of 38th Avenue, the Sentinel reported.

Marty's colleagues arrived to find he had already started helping the surfers get to the walkway at East Cliff Drive, according to a Central Fire Protection District Facebook post about the incident. One of the three engines that arrived on scene aided Marty in his rescue efforts.

In the district's letter of commendation to Marty, Fire Chief Steven Hall wrote that the "cliff rescue would have ended very differently" if not for his help. Hall thanked Marty for his service, support, dedication and "going beyond the call of duty."

"Thank you," one of the stranded surfers told Marty, according to the Facebook post. "You single-handedly saved 10 lives today."

Read more about Marty's rescue efforts in the Santa Cruz Sentinel's article or on the Central Fire Protection District's Facebook page: