Searchers have resumed their quest to find a missing 31-year-old man feared drowned at an isolated Bremer Bay beach. The man was with a group of five people who went to Blossoms Beach for a swim on Saturday afternoon. Of the four who entered the water, two immediately made it back to shore after getting caught in a rip. A third man’s struggle back to safety left him physically fatigued. Their friend, however, was not seen again.
Local police immediately requested air support and as a result, the police and RAC rescue helicopters swung into action. Volunteers from the State Emergency Service, Volunteer Emergency Service and Volunteer Marine Rescue Service joined the search – as did Surf Life Saving WA members taking part in a nearby carnival. The search continued yesterday – with specialist police divers called in to help.
SES Volunteers are routinely called out to assist Police in land search operations. They receive extensive training in this type of operations. Training includes:
- Team work
- First aid
- Map reading and navigation
- Land search techniques
- General rescue
- Radio communications
- Leadership
- Incident Management
- Driving vehicles for emergencies
- Observation from aircraft and supply dropping
- Catering
- Traffic management
- 4 x 4 driving techniques
- All terrain vehicles driving
