Marine Rescue Jervis Bay volunteer Norm Stanley put others above self this afternoon, going to the aid with a member of the public to save a woman struggling in the water at Huskisson.
Mr Stanley was on radio operations duty with a fellow volunteer at the Marine Rescue Jervis Bay base when at 4pm (Tuesday 12 March) he noticed a woman being swept into the bay by the strong outgoing tide just south of the Huskisson pool.
Mr Stanley ran downstairs at the base and grabbed the first floatable object he could find, which was an inflatable paddleboard from the unit’s lost property store.
He ran around to the beach and headed into the water along with a member of the public who also noticed the woman being swept away.
Mr Stanley along with the member of the public reached the woman, a British tourist and returned her to shore on the inflatable paddleboard.
Pictured Norm, the British tourist and Nathan Parnell.
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector Stuart Massey said Mr Stanley assessed the woman’s condition before returning to his post in the Marine Rescue Jervis Bay radio room.
“The rescued woman was very thankful, she was uninjured but a little shaken and we must commend the member of the public who also assisted.
“Norm and the member of the public’s actions are nothing short of heroic and the community is fortunate to have people like them living among them, the woman was very lucky.
“On an outgoing tide the water flows incredibly fast out of Currambene Creek, in certain conditions these waters can be quite dangerous,” he said.
Inspector Massey said Mr Stanley’s presence of mind to grab the inflatable paddleboard was exceptional.
“To respond so quickly and rescue the woman along with assistance from the other man shows how selfless and caring he is, we are very proud to have him part of the Marine Rescue Jervis Bay family.
“Whilst most of our rescues involve our vessel crew assisting boaters on the water, this was a unique situation that required an immediate response with a life at risk.
“If Norm had not reacted as quickly as he did, this situation may have had a different outcome,” he said.
Inspector Massey said Mr Stanley is extremely capable in the water and on it in a rescue craft.
“Norm is a very experienced Marine Rescue NSW volunteer, he not only volunteers in radio communications, he skipper’s one of our rescue vessels at the unit and is also a Rescue Watercraft (Jet Ski) operator with advanced resuscitation skills,” he said.
*Editor’s note: The member of the public listed in the article was Nathan Parnell, a local business owner and the first person on the scene. Nathan selflessly risked his own life as the first person who entered the water to help the tourist.
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