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Coastside Lifeguards Riley Rhodes and Max Hunter Awarded Medal of Valor for 2023 Poplar Beach Rescue

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FACEBOOK. From the United States Lifesaving Association Facebook page on January 3rd, 2024.

 

Bi-annually, at every Board of Directors Meeting, the Heroic Acts Committee reviews submissions of amazing water rescues, lifesaving medical actions, and extreme examples of lifesaving teamwork, by USLA members, lifeguards, and occasionally non-lifeguards. The USLA’s highest honor is the Medal of Valor, awarded to an individual lifeguard who risks their life, to an extraordinary degree, in saving or attempting to save another person.
In November, the USLA awarded four Medals of Valor at our Fall Board of Directors Meeting. Two of the recipients are Riley Rhodes and Max Hunter of California State Parks, CA. While on duty in the Poplar Beach area of Half Moon Bay, the duo responded to a report of a missing swimmer nearing sunset. With light fading fast, they caught a brief glimpse of the swimmer approximately 300 yards beyond the breaking surf, and immediately entered the 50 degree water navigating 8-10 foot surf, shallow bars and deep holes.
Hunter and Rhodes lost sight of the victim but continued in their rescue effort, guided by the victim’s screams for help. Units on the beach also lost sight of the rescuers, and attempted to recall them without luck. The victim was eventually located approximately 500 yards from the shore. In the meantime, a Harbor Patrol vessel and a Coast Guard Helicopter were both dispatched to aid in the search. Both of these rescue units were unable to locate the guards or their victim due to the darkness and severe surf conditions.
After realizing that the outside agency rescue units were unable to locate them, Hunter and Rhodes began swimming the exhausted swimmer back through the high surf, in complete darkness and perilous near-shore conditions, eventually exiting the water at Redondo Beach (approximately one mile south of where they initially entered the water).
The victim was released for treatment to rescue personnel waiting on the beach and recovered fully from this near tragedy.
If you know of a great rescue involving a lifeguard or non-lifeguard, please go to USLA.org/heroic-acts and nominate the rescuer(s) for their efforts. There are a variety of categories to recognize lifesavers who go above and beyond the call of duty.

 

 

TWO Heroic Ocean Rescues at Poplar and Venice Beaches by California State Park Lifeguards on the Same Day

 

PODCAST. From KHMB’s Coastal Windage on Friday, February 3rd, 2023, live at 9:00am.

“Shooting the Breeze” live interview with California State Park Lifeguard Riley Rhodes.  Heroic ocean rescue on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, 5:50pm at Poplar Beach by California State Park Lifeguards Riley Rhodes and Max Hunter. Max is a first year State lifeguard and this was his first rescue.”

Earlier in the day, AM on Saturday, January 21st, 2023, Riley Rhodes, rescued a fisherman at Venice Beach, with the help of local surfers. Scroll for photos.

 

 

Riley Rhodes and Max Hunter heading out for the rescue at dusk.

 

From the hmb_statelifeguards Instagram page:

“On Saturday, January 21st, 2023 at 5:50pm minutes before State Parks Lifeguards go off duty. A water rescue came out at Poplar City beach in Half Moon Bay. State Parks Lifeguards as well as various other agencies @calfireczu @smharbor @smcsheriff @airstasanfrancisco responded.

As the last of the days light faded 2 State Parks Lifeguards entered the water in an attempt to locate a lost swimmer who had been carried about by the oceans strong currents. Crews on the beach watched the 2 lifeguards and victim disappear under a huge set and didn’t see them for the next 45 minutes. Our 2 rescue swimmers located the victim who was screaming for help outside of the break 300 yards out. Crews on the beach attempted to call back the 2 swimmers due to the hazardous conditions, not knowing that the swimmers had actually located the victim. Our 2 rescue swimmers towed the exhausted victim to Redondo City beach a mile away in the pitch darkness and huge surf. Thank you to all of the agencies that responded.”

 

 

Local lifeguards save 2 swimmers in HMB; Large surf catches beachgoers by surprise

Read the Half Moon Bay Review article written by August Howell on Friday, February 8th, 2023.

 

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The Coastside’s only live, call-in talk radio show, Coastal Windage features Coastside issues, hot topics, and live comments from Coastsiders in real time. Finally, the people of the Coastside have an opportunity to participate in their own community.

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Reuben Truthmaker

A 20-year resident of El Granada, Reuben TruthMaker is a dedicated husband, dad, coach, community volunteer, and creative professional. He is also a confirmed cynic, a notable futurist, and a passionate iconoclast forever seeking the greater good. Voted “Most Likely to Wear a Tin Foil Hat” during his senior year of high school, Truth loves a good conspiracy theory. Humor him.

 

 

From Instagram for

hmb_statelifeguards

 

AM on Saturday, January 21st, 2023. Yesterday was a busy day for State Parks Lifeguards. Large building swell and swinging tides provided dangerous conditions for beach goers.

At 10:40, a one victim water rescue occurred at Venice State Beach. The victim was swept off his feet into challenging conditions. Thankfully, everyone involved was okay. A special thank you to our local surfers for stepping in and helping out in challenging conditions!

 

 

 

 

Salmon Boat Rescue at Dunes Beach 7.9.2017

 

The Salmon Boat Rescue Video Salmon Boat Rescue at Dunes Beach in Half Moon Bay, Sunday 7.9.2017. Thanks to California State Lifeguard, Jeff Wadkins, for the narration of the rescue video. See lifeguards Coel Miller and Grayson Capers on their first boat rescue where they successfully rescue 2 salmon fishermen, whose engine just stopped working.

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