ST. CLAIR DROWNING
RESCUE WORK IN THE SURF The body otf Thomas Dick, aged eighteen’years, who was washed out to soa and drowned at St. Clair on Monday evening, has not yet been recovered. . , Credit for splendid rescue work has not yet been given to a young man named Allan Jordan, who was the first to don the belt and swim out to bring in the man Cameron, who was rescued just in time. Jordan afterwards used artificial respiration on Cameron and .successfully brought him round. ’ was previously stated that Alexaiiler Wyllio wont out with the bolt, but it lias since been ascertained that it was Jordan. Wyllie assisted Sparrow with the line when the latter went out with the belt. Laudatory remarks are heard on all sides of the work of the young man Fulton, who, it is said, held the girl Green up for fully ten minutes before Sparrow reached him with the line. A correspondent, “W.M.B. , writes: “It is quite evident something should be done as to securing more favorable conditions for bathers at St. Clair, and I venture a suggestion. It is not paddlers, but swimmers, who come to disaster, mainly through encountering the undertow. If, therefore, three buoys attached to mushroom anchors were placed in line, say, 50yds out from the oft mark and 50ft apart, connected by a coir rope (which floats), and iu turn a similar line led ashore from each and secured, the existing danger would be removed, as any swimmer in difficulties could surely reach one or the lines and come hand over hand ashore. Tho expense would be small and a perpetual life line provided for times of stress. Added buoyancy,_ if needed, could he secured by lashing two-gallou kegs- at intervals to the floating ropes. As an old swimmer tho project appears to mo quite feasible.”
A SURF BOAT SUGGESTED.
TO THE EDITOE. Sir, —Through your columns I beg to submit for general consideration a means whereby the dangerous sea currents off St. Clair Beach may be cheated of further victims. The common hazards of everyday life are guarded against by an imposing ensemble of “safety first” devices, warning bolls and lights at dangerous crossings, safety zones in busy streets, guardian controllers of traffic, and advertising campaigns to the of the one cud—namely, tho preservation of human life.
From these things one may deduce that life is a commodity sufficiently valuable to warrant the expenditure of much time and public money in its safeguarding. H the deduction be correct it would appear to be either loolish inconsistence or regrettable negligence that is responsible for the paucity of life saving equipment at St. Clair. Two reels, complete with belts and rope, having an effective range_of some 500yds. Magnificent! Ono thing only we have in abundance, and that is a plenitude of unselfish, able-bodied manhood willing to risk and if need ho sacrifice self in the effort to save.
A few days ago a member of the Life Saving Club, an expert swimmer, paddled bis way through the surf and proceeded to act the part of a distressed bather. On the beach other members of the club overhauled their gear in readiness to effect a mock rescue. Suddenly the lone swimmer found himself in the clutches of a powerful current, and perforce commenced signalling for help in real earnest. The beltman plunged through the breakers and surged to the rescue at top speed. So swift was the current, however, that the watchers ashore soon saw that the rescuer would ho some yards short of his objective when the rope ran out, and to assist him they were forced to carry the reel some distance into the water. As it happened both men were hauled back to safety, but the incident stands as a splendid illustration of the futility of thb present equipment and a prophetic picture of future disaster. With rope and holt and good swimmers it is possible to rescue one, or at the most two, distressed persons', always provided that timely warning is given and that the sea's potential victims arc not swept beyond the short scope of the rescuer's Hue. .Prom a position of impotent helplessness I have witnessed two preventable fatalities within the last three weeks, and I wish to ho spared the torments of further similar spectacles. To that end I suggest that a properlyconstructed surf boat, with carriage' and equipment, such as is used so successfully on Australian beaches, bo provided without delay. 1 venture to state that there will be no difficulty in providing a suitable crew. With this means it would be possible to rescue simultaneously several people, and there would be no limitation of effective range or accessibility to all nooks and corners where wind and wave can sweep a drowning person. The objection that a boat could not be launched in very rough weather can not be sustained. Whenever it is possible for a swimmer to traverse the breakers and so get into difficulties it is possible for a surf boat to follow and extricate him. This has been proved wherever boats of the typo in question are in use. Plant; and specifications for the construction of a suitable craft are in my possession, and the price (I am diffident about mentioning such a" huge sum merely for life-saving purposes) is £sl. In conclusion, I suggest that it is advisable to strike before thc_ Iron cools, and now, while the St. Clair Improvement Society is jingling the proceeds of the carnival in its coffers, seems a propitious time. I ask—no, demand —in the name of all who are in clanger to themselves or their families, that the matter bo treated as one of utmost urgency, to be discussed and acted upon without the necessity for further deaths to spur it on. If funds are Jacking for the purpose, I am prepared to donate the sum of £5 towards the purchase price of the vessel.—l am, etc., T. E. Sagar. February 22.
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Evening Star, Issue 19797, 22 February 1928, Page 7
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1,000ST. CLAIR DROWNING Evening Star, Issue 19797, 22 February 1928, Page 7
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