Batemans Bay Surf Life Saving Club captain Tony Vella has mixed feelings about the club going up for rescue of the year at the Surf Life Saving NSW Awards of Excellence at Darling Harbour on July 23.
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Batemans Bay SLSC’s Mr Vella, Craig Shepherd, Jack Pritchard and Anthony Bellette and Broulee Surfers SLSC’s Geoff Wells and Gary Robbins all participated in the rescue of 72-year-old Victor Hansen when his helicopter crashed into the sea at Lilli Pilli on April 24.
Tragically, Mr Hansen’s wife Helen perished in the crash.
The four members will travel to Sydney for the awards with club secretary Sue Hunt, as the helicopter crash rescue is one of three finalists for rescue of the year.
“It is good for the club, because it gives us more exposure and allows us to be more known in the area, and this helps us in applying for grants, but because the lady died I have mixed feelings,” Mr Vella said.
Mr Vella said that the best thing to come out of the rescue, apart from saving Mr Hansen’s life, was the cooperation between emergency services on the night, and the closer ties established between them since.
“The cooperation was the most important thing, and we want to thank the other organisations for their part in the rescue,” he said.
“We would have been stuffed without the support of all those guys,” Anthony Bellette added.
Batemans Bay Fire and Rescue, the Ambulance service, Broulee Surfers SLSC, Snowy Hydro Southcare and Batemans Bay Marine Rescue also responded on the night.
Former Broulee SLSC member Sam Edwards was first on the scene, having seen the helicopter crash, and he quickly went into the water to help.
The various Eurobodalla emergency services meet twice a month to discuss how best to work together.
“We didn’t know about these meetings but since the rescue we have been going,” Mr Vella said.
Being honoured for saving people’s lives is nothing new for the Batemans Bay SLSC.
Two years ago, members Wayne Coppin, Brian Stephenson and Ryan Young received a Surf Life Saving Australia Bravery award for saving the lives of two girls who got into serious trouble off Mackenzies Beach.
Club president Tracy Innes said the club was delighted that those who answered the call that night had been recognised.
“The club is very proud of them,” she said.
She said the club members are primed to quickly respond to future emergencies.
“They carry flippers and rescue tubes in the boots of their cars,” she said.