Bravery Award recipient Ryan Sanders

Lifeguard skills come in handy on land

When driving home in Australind in March last year, Ryan Sanders noticed a commotion on the side of the road. A woman had experienced a cardiac arrest and collapsed while walking.  

A trained lifeguard, Ryan immediately stopped to assist. He took control of the situation, moving bystanders out of the way to assess the woman’s condition. Ryan realised that the victim was unconscious and not breathing and commenced CPR. The woman eventually started breathing again and Ryan continued to render first aid until the ambulance arrived.  

Although there were many people at the scene Ryan noted that it was sad to see “so many people standing around doing nothing and one person doing [CPR] pretty poorly, but at least she was doing something.” 

He encourages people to complete first aid or CPR training as “just the basics – compressions, not even breath – can preserve life a little bit longer.”

At only 19 years of age, Ryan saved the woman’s life. He displayed great leadership in taking control of the situation and demonstrated clear thinking under pressure in applying his first aid skills. Without Ryan’s quick response, the victim may not have survived. 

Ryan was awarded Royal Life Saving WA’s Gold Medallion Bravery Award for his lifesaving efforts. 

We are currently accepting nominations for the 2020 Bravery Awards. Click here for more information!