WA Governor His Excellency the Honourable Chris Dawson AC APM, Bilgoman Aquatic Pool Lifeguards Tyler Parish and Flynn Throssel, and Royal Life Saving WA President Vaughan Davies.

Toddler saved at Bilgoman Aquatic

A day at the local swimming pool almost ended in tragedy for one family in January 2023 when a two-year-old was discovered floating unconscious in the water. Fortunately, the quick actions of a patron and the lifeguards averted disaster and saved the child. 

The young child was being supervised by a family member but wandered down to the baby pool’s deeper end without the caregiver noticing when disaster struck. Patron Christian Lawalata quickly realised something was wrong and pulled the child from the water before alerting lifeguards to the situation.  

“I just jumped in and grabbed him and pulled him out. He was unconscious when I pulled him out... I tipped him upside down to get all the fluid out, as much as I could, and then we put him on the ground and then the duty lifesaver took over and administered oxygen,” said Christian. 

Pool Lifeguards Tyler Parish and Flynn Throssell provided the child with oxygen while their coworkers Jessica Nalder and Sophie Eden cleared the pool and called for emergency services.  

The child quickly regained consciousness and began breathing normally. He was transferred to hospital and was released the next day with no complications.  

Tyler and Christian received the Gold Star, while Flynn, Sophie and Jessica received Bravery Commendations at the Royal Life Saving WA Bravery Awards for their actions. 

This was the first major emergency that Flynn, Sophie and Jessica had been involved in and they handled themselves calmly and professionally when faced with this stressful situation. The quick response from Christian and the lifeguards on duty ultimately saved this child’s life. 

All responders involved have their first aid certifications and credit their training for their ability to remain calm in the situation.   

“I do think it was helpful to have the training, as although it was my first incident I could piece together parts of my training to see what I had to do in the moment. It helped me to be slightly calmer as I could practically work through the situation in my head, but I was still nervous as it was my first incident,” said Flynn.   

Stories like this emphasise the crucial role of learning basic first aid. It's simple to learn and equips you with essential skills that can be invaluable in emergencies. 

Are you ready to learn or refresh a lifesaving skill? Click the link below to book your First Aid course today.