Lifeguards to be recognized for courage at awards dinner
Medal of Valor ceremony kicks off 60th International Surf Festival
Lifeguarding isn't just about protecting beachgoers in big waves or pulling them from hazardous ocean currents.
Sometimes it can mean being at the right place, at the right time — and swiftly responding to life-threatening situations that otherwise could turn tragic.
The Medal of Valor Awards Dinner at the King Harbor Yacht Club on Wednesday will honor a handful of heroic lifeguards, an event that also will celebrate “50 years of Women Ocean Lifeguards.” The awards night kicks off the International Surf Festival, celebrating its 60th year, which runs through Aug. 6 with beach and ocean events and competitions throughout the South Bay.
“We are delighted to recognize these Ocean Lifeguards who embody going above and beyond the call of duty,” Chris Linkletter, president of the ISF, said in a news release. “Their exceptional acts of courage and public service, combined with professionalism
Akopyan
O'Hare
and quick thinking, are worthy of both celebration and recognition.”
Ocean Lifeguard Specialist Sam O'Hare and Los Angeles County Lifeguard Capt. Gevorg Akopyan both will receive the Lifeguard Medal of Valor award for quick-thinking actions. O'Hare for responding to a mass shooting and helping victims and Akopyan for thwarting a kidnapping on the beach of a 2-year-old boy.
Akopyan was doing a routine workout on the sand in Santa Monica when he noticed a female whom lifeguards had contact with in the past for jumping off the pier and disorderly conduct, according to the award's description.
When he saw her again acting erratically — then charging at a mother and her 2-year-old son — he jumped into action.
“I started yelling and screaming and that intimidated her, and she let the baby go,” Akopyan said in an interview with the International Surf Festival organizers. “As soon as she let the baby go, I jumped between the baby and the suspect at this point.”
O'Hare's Medal of Valor award is in response to a shooting at White Point/ Royal Palms Beach on March 4.
O'Hare was the only lifeguard on duty at a still-busy beach at about 8 p.m. when he heard multiple gunshots coming from less than 100 yards away in the parking lot near the picnic and restroom area, reads the award's description.
O'Hare immediately requested backup, and without regard to his own safety, the ISF organizers noted, responded to the area where he found multiple people with gunshot wounds.
He began triaging the patients to stop the bleeding and treating them for shock.
“We are delighted to recognize these Ocean Lifeguards who embody going above and beyond the call of duty. Their exceptional acts of courage and public service, combined with professionalism and quick thinking, are worthy of both celebration and recognition.” — Chris Linkletter, president of the ISF
When backup units from the Los Angeles Police Department arrived, they secured the area while L.A. City Fire Paramedics began Advanced Life Care alongside L.A. County Lifeguards. All four people shot were transported — with one in critical condition — to area hospitals.
“Without O'Hare's quick response, calm demeanor, professional triage under extremely chaotic and hazardous circumstances, these victims, as well as the dozens of other patrons, may not have survived,” ISF officials
said.
Ocean Lifeguards Sydney Brouwer, John Pearce, and Erin Swift will receive the Distinguished Service Award for their “instantaneous and professional response” performing CPR and successfully resuscitating a patient in a very “chaotic” situation in Hermosa Beach.
On May 28, the three were working a booth to teach CPR to the public during the community's popular “Fiesta Hermosa” celebration when there was a call of a man choking nearby on Pier Avenue.
All three lifeguards responded, the award description says, taking over CPR from members of the public trying to save the man, who
did not have a pulse.
An AED was attached, and the man was shocked three times until other responders could reach the scene. Ultimately, the man was stabilized and taken to a hospital.
Lifetime achievement
Retired Chief Lifeguard Steve Moseley will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his notable career accomplishments and numerous meaningful contributions to the lifeguard profession.
Moseley began his career as a lifeguard in 1981 and was promoted to a permanent position in 1991.
In 1997, Moseley became a captain and was assigned to the southern section, working the beaches of Cabrillo, Torrance, Redondo,
Hermosa, Manhattan and Dockweiler. During this time, Moseley was in charge of the Lifeguard Training Academy, where for nine years, he impacted the lives of hundreds of recruits and dozens of instructors, according to the ISF website.
Moseley, who lives in Hermosa Beach, was promoted to lifeguard section chief in 2001 and in 2014 was assigned back to the South Bay and was promoted to chief lifeguard.
During his 36-year career, he worked all the beaches along the 72 miles of Los Angeles coastline, from Malibu to San Pedro. He retired in 2019.
For more information, or a schedule of events for the International Surf Festival, go to surffestival.org.