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| History of Kirra Rescues |
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| Written by Kirra SLSC | |
| Saturday, 14 February 2009 13:37 | |
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Kirra has always had a policy with regard to patrols – prevention is better than cure. At the same time we have always been prepared to make a rescue. Six rescues standout in Club History. The first was the shark attack at Kirra on 23 October 1937. Two Kirra members lost their lives that day when Jack Brinkley went to the rescue of Norman Girvan following a shark attack only to be savaged himself. Joe Doniger another Kirra member rescued Brinkley but Brinkley passed away not long after he was brought to the beach. Joe Doniger was awarded the Surf Life Saving Association Silver Medallion for his heroism. Jack Brinkley was posthumously awarded the same medallion. Joe Doniger was also awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Humane Society.Early one Saturday morning Earle Smith, Tom Gear and Arch Nicholson were having breakfast in the Club Committee Room when a local resident rushed in to say some people were in trouble on Kirra Point. The Club members dropped what they were doing and rushed to the rescue of four people in trouble. Eventually they were taken to Kirra Beach and recovered. Trouble was that one of the rescuers had lost his shorts and it took some time before Club members ‘kindly’ passed him a pair of swimmers. Years ago Bronze Examinations were held in mass i.e. at the one beach. In 1952 the beach was Kirra. Because of erosion the Club was patrolling west of the Kirra groin. Quite a sea was running. All of a sudden a series of rescues occurred where one of the Kirra group made three rescues with a reel and line. One of those rescued required resuscitation which was administered via the Eva Rocker – a stretcher on a stand – the Association’s means of resuscitation in those days. The patient recovered. No one realised that 30 January 1967 was going to develop into such a dramatic day even though a cyclone was in progress. Just after lunch two people were spotted clinging to the shark net off North Kirra Beach. When Kirra members arrived on the scene people were trying various means of rescue without success. Earle Smith and Arch Nicholson arrived with the Kirra members and things became organised. Vic Arnall, Jeff Callaghan of Kirra and John Cunningham TH&C moved towards Kirra and proceeded out to sea. They were unsuccessful and came ashore at Bilinga. Wren Bligh, Surfers Paradise arrived and offered to take a belt out. The R&R reel was brought from Kirra. Wren donned the belt and with Arnall and Callaghan entered the water at a point where Kirra groin is now situated. Cunningham entered the water slightly west of the belt team. The swimmers got out but came into contact with the Kirra shark net that had broken free. After extracting themselves they reached the shark net at North Kirra to find no one was on the net. Cunningham had a dream run on a board and eventually rescued the patients. The rescue took three hours before all of the life savers returned to the beach. John Cunningham received the SLSA Bronze Medallion. Wren Bligh, Vic Arnall and Jeff Callaghan received the SLSA Certificate of Merit. One weekend Bob Littler, Cameron Leagh-Murray and Peter Wippell were setting up the patrol when board riders asked for help as a board rider was in trouble. The patrol resuscitated the patient and eventually brought him around. The person was taken to hospital where he passed away. A similar situation occurred some years later. The patrol was called to a rescue on Kirra Point. A man had taken his wife diving problem was she was not familiar with surf. The lady got into trouble and the husband dragged her onto the racks. The patrol moved into action and commenced expired air resuscitation. Unfortunately she could not be revived even with the assistance of the helicopter and ambulance. Most unusual rescue by Kirra members was in 1971. Seven Kirra members were in Japan as part of the Australian Team to Asia. The Australian Team was visiting a beach outside Tokyo when it was observed that a number of people were in trouble 250-300 metres out. Without hesitation the Kirra group stripped down to costumes and proceeded to affect the rescue. A similar rescue took place in Taiwan a week later. There have been many rescues at Kirra – always,... be prepared. |
