There may not be a truer definition of ‘beyond the flags’ lifesaving than that of Greg Tuchin’s first aid assistance rendered some 8,000km from his home club of Woonona SLSC and, perhaps more interestingly, more than 30 degrees Celsius below what he’s used to in the peak of summer.
The 25-year veteran of Surf Life Saving – over a decade of which has been spent as a Patrol Captain at his Illawarra club – was skiing in the Tohoku region of Japan when his lifesaving skills were called on, far from the ocean but just as vital as they would be on a busy Sunday morning at Woonona beach.
“I was sitting in the gondola waiting to go back down the mountain after a full day of skiing when the attendant announced we would have to wait a few minutes while the ski patrol loaded an injured person on board,” Greg said.
“The injured man’s head ended up right near where I was sitting, and I asked the patrol if they’d like my help speaking to him.
“He was a bit panicked, so I asked him questions to divert his thoughts from his pain and it turned out he was from Sydney, so we chatted the entire gondola ride down the mountain.”
Having established that the man was skiing with his wife and son, Greg attempted to get access to a green whistle or some oxygen, but neither were available.
“Between the bottom of the gondola station and the ambulance, while we were moving him, he stopped talking to me,” Greg continued.
“He was quite pale, but it was about minus 5 degrees. I lightly slapped his face and tried to engage him but was getting nothing.
“I was really worried. I tried to take his glasses off to see if his pupils had dilated, like my ARTC training says, and that’s when he told me not to take them off.
“I said ‘I need you to keep talking to me’, and he acknowledged that.”
Greg assisted with a handover to the paramedics and was able to clearly articulate their questions. He credits his training for being able to stay calm and play an important role in helping the man – who we later learned sustained five broken ribs and a cracked vertebrae but will make a full recovery.
“Through all my mentors in the club, who have decades more experience than me, I have learnt to stay calm and in control and to keep reassuring the patient by keeping them talking,” he said.
“I am a firm believer in preventative actions. I can usually spot a group of people who are not regulars at the beach, so I will go over and talk to them about where to swim. Nearly all of them thank me for that.
“My training has given me the confidence to step in.
“I have always stressed, to my sons, and to the younger members of my team, that Surf Life Saving training gives you medical skills, teamwork skills and people skills that go much further than the beach.”
Learn first aid skills, even if you’re not a member of a surf club! SLSNSW offers First Aid, CPR and Mental Health First Aid courses across NSW and the ACT. Whether it’s individual training, for a family member, a community group or your entire office, we’ve got you covered. Visit https://www.surflifesaving.com.au/first-aid-courses/ or call 1300 766 257.
Wednesday 26 March 2025