Bravery Awards 2019

Outstanding acts of bravery have once again been recognised, at the 2019 Royal Life Saving Bravery Awards today. 44 heroic individuals have been honoured during a ceremony hosted at the State Reception Centre in Kings Park, attended by His Excellency The Honourable Kim Beazley AC, Governor of Western Australia.

Royal Life Saving WA accepts nominations for the Bravery Awards throughout the year, to identify and reward people in our community who have taken extraordinary actions to save, or attempt to save, another person’s life. This year we've acknowledged a wide variety of individuals, including children and adults, who have performed acts from in water rescues, through to performing life-saving first aid on the road side and shopping centre car parks!

Royal Life Saving WA’s Chief Executive Officer Peter Leaversuch says each award recipient displayed exceptional courage, empathy and initiative by applying lifesaving skills in emergency situations and sometimes at risk to themselves.“These individuals are an excellent example to all Western Australians and show how vitally important it is to obtain lifesaving skills. They’ve applied their skills to save another’s life, showing bravery and commitment in doing so, and deserve our highest recognition.”

The recent Royal Life Saving National Drowning Report revealed that more than 60% of WA’s drowning deaths occurred in the warmer months of spring and summer during 2018/19. “As we enjoy the warmer weather at this time of the year, I encourage everyone to think about how they might, in their own way, contribute to drowning prevention, and saving lives. It may be to improve your own skills in CPR, first aid or rescue, to raise awareness amongst your family, friends or workplace, or to help someone inneed. Everyone can be a lifesaver” Mr Leaversuch said.

Below is a snapshot of the awards handed out today.

• Mackenzie Summers (6 years old) - Gold Star - Mackenzie’s grandmother tripped in the dark of an underground carpark and broke several bones. Mackenzie phoned the ambulance and her mother, made her grandmother comfortable and kept reassuring her until the ambulance arrived.
• Ethan de Coning (11 years old) - Gold Star - Ethan pulled his two-year-old sister, Jordyn, from a home pool, alerted his dad and then called the ambulance.
• Seth Eade (9 years old) - Gold Star - Seth’s younger brother, Kade, got into difficulty in the water at Lake Leschenaultia and Seth swam to his aid, holding his head above water until adults arrived to assist
• Jayce Vassiliou (4 years old) - Gold Star - Jayce rescued his 5-year-old cousin, Kortney, who had fallen under water in the swimming pool at the Crown Hotel, and alerted adults.
• Leschenault Leisure Centre staff - Ryan Sanders, Samantha Hooper, David Snelling and Kellie Holm - Gold Star - Angie Stonard and Shelby Pinner - Bravery Commendation - Performed an aquatic rescue, CPR and application of an AED on a patron found unconscious in the pool.
• Fremantle Leisure Centre staff - Jessica Cannon, Jasmine Shepherd, Georgia Ray and James Annetts - Gold Star - Performed an aquatic rescue and provided first aid when a patron experienced a seizure in the pool.
• Beatty Park Leisure Centre staff - Andrew Brown, James Annett and Hamish Williams - Gold Star - Josh Taraia and Kim Vang Thi Huynh - Bravery Commendation - Performed an aquatic rescue, CPR and AED on a patron who suffered a heart attack in the pool.
• Terry Tyzack Aquatic Centre staff - Jack Tuckett and Scott Chilcott - Gold Star-  and Maithili Patel - Bravery Commendation - Responded when an infant had a seizure at the centre, by providing first aid and phoning emergency services
• Narelle Holt - Gold Star - Narelle, an Aquatic Centre Manager, responded when a patron experienced a heart attack at Aqualife Victoria Park. Treated with defib, O2 and called emergency services.
• Riverton Leisureplex team - Patrick Allin, Joseph Baeg, Kevin Ho, Michael Gosatti - Gold Star - and Julie Waddilove - Gold Medallion -  rescued and performed CPR on a patron who became unconscious while swimming.
• Ella Andrews (7 years old) - Gold Medallion - Ella removed her little sister from the path of a dog and was attacked by the dog herself.
• Daniel Crook - Gold Medallion - Daniel performed CPR for 13 minutes on an elderly family friend, Michael, who had experienced a cardiac arrest at home.
• Karla Goy - Gold Medallion - Karla swam to the aid of a man who was struggling in the Swan River. The man was agitated so she kept her distance but was able to talk to him and encourage him to swim back to shore before alerting authorities.

• Joshua Wilkes - Gold Medallion - Entered the Swan River to pull a driver from his vehicle after he had accidentally driven off the road. Removed him from the vehicle and brought him to shore.

• Megan Larmour (age 16) - Gold Medallion - Performed CPR and applied an AED on a man who had collapsed in a carpark of the Mandurah Shopping Centre.

• Louise Joesbury - Gold Medallion - Recognised her friend had become unconscious while swimming and was drowning. Swam down to get him, brought him to the edge of the pool and alerted staff.

• Joe Broadbent, Cathryne Casarsa, Melissa Grey, Tony Morgan - Gold Medallion - All contributed to performing CPR and applying an AED when a member of the public collapsed at the Warwick Grove Shopping Centre.

• Samantha Laine - Gold Medallion - Responded when another woman had a seizure while driving. She stopped the moving vehicle, put the woman in the recovery position and called an ambulance.

• Ryan Sanders - Gold Medallion - Stopped while driving when he saw a woman who had a cardiac arrest and performed CPR until the ambulance arrived.

• David MacLennan, TimTucak, Susie Kitchin, Emma Morton - Gold Medallion - Responded when a fellow club member at John XXIII Playing Fields had a heart attack. Performed CPR and applied an AED until the ambulance arrived.

• Amanda Brown - Gold Cross - Responded when a jetty collapsed at Rottnest Island. Amanda swam out to assist with rescuing a young boy, before performing first aid on him and another woman.

You can read more about our Bravery Awards, and nominate someone for next year's event, at the link below.