On Thursday, 09 February 2017 the club was presented with the Award for National Rescue of the Month - November 2016 at Parliment House, Canberra.
Club members Lochleigh Thomson, Nick Lowe and Ed White were recognised for their rescue of a paraglider who had landed in the water at the south end of Stanwell Park Beach near the rocks, and subsequently become tangle in the lines from his parachute.
After an attempt to rescue the man using the IRB, Lochleigh Thomson and Nick Lowe scaled the rocks to reach the man, who at that stage had removed his harness but was still entangled in the lines from his parachute. Nick gave the man his lifevest to provided additional support while they worked to cut away the lines. The surf was about 6 ft (1.8m) around the rocks so Nick and Lochleigh were forced to retreat each time a wave approached.
Once the man had been seperated from his parachute, he was able to be walked out and onto the beach. He was battered, cut and bruised.
The actions of Nick, Lochleigh and Ed on the day certainly saved this man's life.
SLSA President Graham Ford, SLSA CEO Melissa King, MP Sarah Henderson and MP Matt Thistlethwaite (Co-chairs of the Parlimentary Friends of Surf Life Saving), MP Sharon Bird and MP Steven Jones were on hand to present the award to Lochleigh Thomson.
Lochleigh was interviewed at length on camera about the rescue, and during the presentation by Melissa King. Lochleigh spoke extremely well on the day and highlighted the great team work that went into the rescue and the involvement of not only those recognised for the rescue but the remainder of Patrol 3 who provided the on beach support.
Lochleigh was accompanied by his mother Leisa Thomson, his grandparents and Club President Steven McDonald.
Also recognised on the day were Rescue of the Month - October 2016 - Teisha Towner (Queensland Lifeguard Service) and Rescue of the Month - December 2016 - Doug Hockey, Kaye Norris, Nicholas Di Genni, Jayson Norris and Russell Trott (Windang Surf Life Saving Club).
