Ready for Anything
Recently a surfer was hurt in the water, making a rookie mistake on a wave that resulted in an injury to himself, and it could have been to anyone else around him. Watching the crowds grow adding more beginners in the water, surfers out east must be extra vigilant and prepared to help in an emergency.
Amazing about the surfing community out east is the number of surfers paddling out nearly around the clock without any official safety equipment, guards or running water in the vicinity. The ability to help one other is critical and can be lifesaving especially when one relies on surfing acquaintances if surfing solo that day. If you are surfing you are susceptible to getting hurt and needing help, and suddenly those in the line up you chat with, trade waves with or fight for position are your greatest hope of getting assistance when you’re in trouble.
The human decency response and ethical action is usually automatic when we see someone in danger. When not in flight, fight or freeze mode, most will step up in an emergency. Not everyone is equipped with a medical degree, EMS training, First Aid or CPR knowledge, and may try their best to be supportive anyway. What has become apparent is how everyone must work together and have a basic level of awareness and preparedness to help keep themselves and fellow surfers safe or at the very least be ready assist.
With or without formal training, it’s not a bad idea to consider learning the basics or taking a refresher course if you have done so in the past. In all situations in and out of the water CPR and First Aid basics saves lives. Along with education, it’s easy to order a first aid kit with your next Amazon order and keep it in your car. That roll of gauze, hydrogen peroxide, even plastic gloves can make a difference in coming to the rescue with confidence.
It’s good practice to have extra towels and water anyway in your car or with you at the beach. In the case of physical injuries when someone is likely to go into shock or may be bleeding, towels and fresh water are extra useful in a beach environment without a facility for beach goers or surfers that make quickly need them. One surfer went into shock after an accident and was supported when towels were gathered to keep them wrapped and covered.
While we surf and unplug from devices as one of the many ways we can be in the moment, having a cell phone not only nearby but not hesitating to call 911 as soon as you see something is crucial. Diffusion of responsibility innocently happens when everyone believes someone “else” must have called for an ambulance. Don’t be afraid to be one of the many callers or in some cases be the caller or the first caller to request for help. If you happen to be the person directly assisting the injured person, make eye contact with someone specific and ask them to call 911. We think of yelling out loud to a crowd as sufficient but this direct request using eye contact prompts one to action.
We all hope and strive for a safe and happy summer, with lots of surf and enough waves to go around. Avoiding injuries to ourselves and to those around us as well as being prepared adds a layer of self-awareness we all need the more distracted we become. Montauk continues to be the tight-knit community it’s known to be since this is embedded in the ethos of being a surfer here. Let’s continue that tradition. Happy surfing!