Piha beach rescue: Off-duty lifeguards save drowning man from surf
Lamont said he was visiting his bach to do some work for the day when he became aware of the incident.
'I was just on a walk, so I'm not typically out here on a weekday.'
He said, 'I saw a guy and his partner, and I saw the guy go for a swim while his partner was standing on the beach, and it wasn't a good place to swim.
'So I thought I'd just keep an eye on them.'
Lamont said he realised the man was in serious trouble when he spotted his partner distressed on the beach.
'I checked again and I could see his partner running back and forward along the beach, which indicated that there was an issue. .. I couldn't see him swimming.
'She was very distressed while it was all going on,' he said.
Lamont said he ran up to the surf club and grabbed some binoculars to try and see the man in the water.
'I managed to sight him, and he was obviously in trouble.'
Lamont and Johns then launched an Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) and rescued the 26-year-old patient, who was in critical condition.
'We got him back to the beach. He was vomiting, He was in a very serious condition,' Lamont said.
An initial assessment was performed on the patient, who was losing consciousness, Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) said.
They were then joined by members of the SAR Squad and first responders from Hato Hone St John to provide first aid to the patient, Piha Surf Life Saving Club said.
Lifeguards and SAR handed over the patient to Westpac Rescue Helicopter at 11:15am, with the patient being transported to hospital.
Lamont said there only appeared to be around six other people on the beach at the time, so the man was lucky to be spotted.
Piha Surf Life Saving Club said they applaud Lamont's vigilance and quick thinking, and thank all those involved for their swift response.
'Without these volunteers, it likely would've been a very different outcome.
'Please be mindful of the dangerous conditions at Piha and if you see anyone in trouble call 111 to ask for police to activate our SAR Squad.'
The Piha Surf Life Saving Club wrapped up its 2024-2025 patrolling season in April.
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NZ Herald
21-05-2025
- NZ Herald
Piha beach rescue: Off-duty lifeguards save drowning man from surf
Lamont said he was visiting his bach to do some work for the day when he became aware of the incident. 'I was just on a walk, so I'm not typically out here on a weekday.' He said, 'I saw a guy and his partner, and I saw the guy go for a swim while his partner was standing on the beach, and it wasn't a good place to swim. 'So I thought I'd just keep an eye on them.' Lamont said he realised the man was in serious trouble when he spotted his partner distressed on the beach. 'I checked again and I could see his partner running back and forward along the beach, which indicated that there was an issue. .. I couldn't see him swimming. 'She was very distressed while it was all going on,' he said. Lamont said he ran up to the surf club and grabbed some binoculars to try and see the man in the water. 'I managed to sight him, and he was obviously in trouble.' Lamont and Johns then launched an Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) and rescued the 26-year-old patient, who was in critical condition. 'We got him back to the beach. He was vomiting, He was in a very serious condition,' Lamont said. An initial assessment was performed on the patient, who was losing consciousness, Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) said. They were then joined by members of the SAR Squad and first responders from Hato Hone St John to provide first aid to the patient, Piha Surf Life Saving Club said. Lifeguards and SAR handed over the patient to Westpac Rescue Helicopter at 11:15am, with the patient being transported to hospital. Lamont said there only appeared to be around six other people on the beach at the time, so the man was lucky to be spotted. Piha Surf Life Saving Club said they applaud Lamont's vigilance and quick thinking, and thank all those involved for their swift response. 'Without these volunteers, it likely would've been a very different outcome. 'Please be mindful of the dangerous conditions at Piha and if you see anyone in trouble call 111 to ask for police to activate our SAR Squad.' The Piha Surf Life Saving Club wrapped up its 2024-2025 patrolling season in April.
Otago Daily Times
08-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Plea for fairness delivered to Parliament
A plea for volunteer firefighters to be covered by ACC was delivered to the capital yesterday. Queenstown Volunteer Fire Brigade secretary Katherine Lamont handed over her "Fighting for Fairness" petition, signed by more than 36,500 people, to Labour's ACC spokeswoman Camilla Belich on the steps of Parliament in Wellington. It calls for volunteer firefighters to receive the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid colleagues. Because ACC defines "employment" as working for financial gain, it means the country's 12,000 volunteer firefighters — 86% of Fire and Emergency New Zealand's frontline workforce — are not covered for mental trauma or gradual workplace illness through ACC. Mrs Lamont started the petition after former Kingston chief fire officer Peter Ottley was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, triggered by a crash between a car and a bus in December in which one person died and 20 others were seriously injured. She told Labour representatives yesterday that Mr Ottley, who had been a volunteer for 13 years, had been on the scene at many horrific incidents and was "deeply affected". He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, but unlike paid firefighters, was not eligible for ACC coverage because he was classified as a "non-employee". "Despite serving on the front line, just like the paid crews, his contribution doesn't come with the same protection. "Right now, our laws fail to protect the very people who protect us. "No-one who volunteers to protect and save others should be left behind when they need help themselves." Appearing on TVNZ's Breakfast yesterday with Mrs Lamont, United Fire Brigades' Association board chairman Peter Dunne said the association had been pushing successive governments to make the legislative change, but it had been treated with "polite indifference" to date. He believed there was an "erroneous" fear if ACC provisions were extended to cover volunteer firefighters, "they've got to extend them to cover every volunteer throughout the country". Also appearing on Breakfast , Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop said there were "some complexities" to the change in legislation, "but you've got to say, in principle, there are some good arguments there". In a statement, after receiving the petition, Ms Belich said Labour was drafting a policy to change the legislation should it win next year's election. Mrs Lamont told the Otago Daily Times the response to the petition in Wellington "just blew me away".
Scoop
08-05-2025
- Scoop
Petition To Change ACC Eligibility For Volunteer Firefighters Handed Over At Parliament
Firefighters and members of the United Fire Brigades' Association (UFBA) gathered outside Parliament to hand over a petition calling for changes to the ACC legislation for volunteer firefighters. The Fighting for Fairness petition, with its 36,000 plus signatures, will be handed to opposition ACC spokesperson Camilla Belich who will present it to the House on Thursday afternoon. The 36,000 New Zealanders who signed the petition want volunteer firefighters to receive the same ACC coverage as their paid counterparts. Queenstown Volunteer Fire Brigade secretary, Katherine Lamont launched the Fighting for Fairness petition in March this year after watching a colleague struggle with post-traumatic stress (PTSD) disorder. 'They attended a really distressing call out and after that the PTSD set in. They were unable to work and had no financial support. I witnessed the impact this had on their life, and I had to do something,' Lamont says. 'Volunteers are not covered for mental trauma or gradual workplace illness through ACC because they are not paid. That's not just unfair, it's a failure to recognise what our volunteer firefighters endure.' Lamont says she could no longer stand back and watch other volunteer firefighters suffer as a result of their community involvement 'Every day, volunteer firefighters stand together with their paid colleagues, facing the same trauma, and the same risks. But when they're injured or suffer mentally because of that service, they're treated differently. 'Changing the legislation would acknowledge the incredible contribution of this special group of people. Volunteer firefighters give so much of themselves to this role. This change would give them the support they deserve. When they need help, help needs to be available,' Lamont says. Kelly Bennetto has seen firsthand the impact having no ACC support can have on a loved one who is a volunteer firefighter serving their community. Her dad, Ian Bennetto, was a Thames Volunteer Fire Brigade volunteer when a call out to a car accident resulted in him contracting Hepatitis C after handling a patient in 1991, a time when there was no cure for the disease. 'What followed was years of failed experimental treatments and drug trials. He was forced to take time off work from his drain laying business and suffered financially as a consequence,' Kelly Bennetto says. Ian Bennetto turned to ACC and the Fire Service for support and while ACC accepted that the accident happened, he was told he wasn't entitled to support because he was not paid by the fire service. Pironga Volunteer Brigade firefighter Jodi Reymer who is a full-time farmer in Te Awamutu, says the work volunteer firefighters do can impact their whole lives and jobs, something that deserves more recognition. 'We're doing the doing the same jobs and we need the same support,' she says. UFBA Board Chair Hon. Peter Dunne says volunteer firefighters are driven by a selfless commitment to their communities, and their role often goes unseen and underappreciated. 'The UFBA fully supports Katherine's petition as it aligns with the UFBA's years of advocating for this important change for volunteer firefighters. We are delighted to hand this over to Camilla Belich, to present this to parliament' Hon. Dunne said. 'Volunteers make up 86 per cent of the Fire and Emergency frontline workforce and are the first responders to most emergencies across 93 per cent of the country's land mass. 'They are our farmers, teachers, retailers and tradespeople who answer the call to duty, leaving their daily lives behind to face emergencies head-on, sometimes at great costs to themselves, their families and their employers,' he says. 'It's clear volunteer firefighters deserve the same protection as their paid counterparts. The 36,000 Kiwis who signed Katherine's petition have sent our politicians a clear message that shouldn't be ignored,' Hon. Dunne says.
