Beth Knox has been named Lifeguard of the Year for the Bega Valley after being nominated for her work during the past summer season.
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For the past three years Beth has been studying speech pathology at the Charles Sturt campus at Albury but every summer she returns to the Bega Valley where she takes up her duties with the Australian Lifeguard Service. Beth is also a member of Pambula Surf Life Saving Club which she joined when she was 11 years old.
Every year Lifeguard supervisors up and down the coast are invited to submit nominations for their respective council area’s Lifeguard of the Year.
Bega lifeguard supervisor Mitch Van Der Meulen felt this recognition was a just reward for Beth who has “proved herself to be a competent and reliable lifeguard over her years with the ALS”.
“She has extremely developed skills and this award is thoroughly deserved,” Mitch added.
When asked about the award Beth’s love of the water and surf lifesaving is evident.
“It’s very nice to have the recognition; I have always been passionate about it and love what I do,” she said.
“In the last few years I have been training up a few of the younger ones at local surf clubs to become lifeguards and this year I was able to bring a new generation to lifesaving and especially a lot more girls which has been nice to see,” Beth said.
A spokesman for Surf Life Saving NSW said Beth was a popular lifeguard and considered to be a natural leader among her peers.
“As her confidence has blossomed she is only too happy to share her experiences in lifeguarding and act as a mentor to rookie lifeguards which helps promote a strong culture right through the ranks of the ALS,” the spokesman said.
Beth has been a lifeguard with the ALS for several seasons and developed an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of local beaches and conditions throughout the Bega Valley area.
While Beth has been involved in a number of rescues throughout the years it was her skills in a situation far away from the beach that proved to be lifesaving. Beth was paddling on a lake in Albury when she witnessed a commotion near the boathouse.
Upon attending the scene she found an elderly gentleman had collapsed. First aid procedures are second nature to Beth as she immediately commenced CPR and later applied two shocks with a defibrillator; she patiently worked to stabilise the man for nearly 25 minutes.
That the man not only survived but became a family friend is testament to her dedication as a professional and her compassionate nature.
Beth is now eligible for the overall 2017 NSW Lifeguard of the Year Award. A selection panel will nominate finalists with the winner being announced during the annual Awards of Excellence in Sydney next month.