14yo Best Friends Rescue Young Girls from Surf
MEET LARA AND TARA. Two best friends and volunteer Surf Life Savers, at just 14 years of age. On their first ever patrol, they spotted two very young girls – about seven years old – fast approaching a dangerous rip just outside the flags. Lara recalls:
“We were about hip level in the water but the girls were much further out and really tiny, so they couldn’t stand up. We saw them struggling to keep afloat. One of them was crying, and the other one was screaming out for help. I remember it all happening so quickly.”
“We swam out to them and could see the girls were really scared.” explains Tara. “We gave them a rescue tube each and put it around them… one of them couldn’t stop crying. We were just saying ‘it’s okay, we’ve got you now, and you’re safe’.”
It is so impressive how skilfully and without a moment’s hesitation, Lara and Tara handled the situation. The training they received both in Nippers and Surf Life Saving kicked in straight away and they reacted instantly.