By
CPL Simone Liebelt
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Brendan
Steele’s life was saved by LAC Rhys Boehm, on the far
right, after a jet ski accident.
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Photo
by LAC Mark McConnell
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AN
ADG from RAAF Base Amberley has been recognised for his courageous
rescue efforts saving a teenager from certain death following
a jet ski accident.
Leading Aircraftman Rhys Boehm, 22, from No. 3 Airfield Defence
Squadron, was awarded an Air Commander’s Commendation last
month for successfully rescuing an injured jet ski rider on September
5 last year.
He was commended for his quick but calm actions in rendering first
aid, stabilising the casualty and ensuring his safe rescue from
the water in difficult conditions.
The accident occurred while LAC Boehm and his girlfriend Bonnie
Absalom were jet skiing around Karana Downs on the Brisbane River.
They joined up with two other jet skis, one carrying two teenage
boys, the other a father and his son, and cruised together before
noticing a boat coming their way.
LAC Boehm sped ahead to allow enough space to slow down and get
over the boat’s wake, but the other riders didn’t follow
suit.
They hit the wake at about 90km/h.
Three of the riders were thrown clear, but 15-year-old Brendan
Steele was struck by the trailing jet ski, which continued travelling
under its own speed.
LAC
saves teenager’s life in jet ski accident.
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Bonnie
Absalom and LAC Rhys Boehm.
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Photo
by LAC Mark McConnell
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The
teenager was knocked unconscious and had two large cuts to his
head and a dislocated elbow. LAC Boehm recalled what happened
next.
“I turned around to see if they all made it through the wake
and was horrified to see what had happened,” he said.
“I could see four people in the water, but only three were
swimming back to their skis, so I immediately turned my jet ski
around at speed and raced in to help.
Once I was close enough, I dived in to Brendan, who was face down
in the water.
I turned him over onto his back, and dragged him back to my jet
ski, where I got Bonnie to turn around and lift him up out of
the water onto the back step.
“At that stage Brendan was semi-conscious and barely breathing,
so I got Bonnie to help hold him up by his life jacket and try
to keep his head up straight while I held his waist in.”
While struggling to keep Brendan stable, he called a stunned jet
ski rider over to help and sent another rider to raise the alarm.
“We continued to try and get Brendan out of the water and
onto the jet ski to get him back to the boat ramp, but he continued
to slip. We were unable to get him up onto the bank as it was
too steep, and the boat ramp was about 2km away, so I opted to
take off on the other jet ski and find a boat [to come and collect
him].”
After organising for an ambulance, and directing a boat back to
the scene, LAC Boehm helped lift Brendan onto the boat and returned
to the boat ramp to waiting bystanders, who lifted the injured
teen off the boat and assisted in keeping him warm.
LAC Boehm believes his actions were not heroic, but instinctive,
and just did what any of his peers would have done in the same
situation.
“I mainly took control on the water, as everyone was in shock
and really had no idea what to do,” he said.
“I didn’t really provide much medical assistance to
Brendan, it was more a case of maintaining his head and neck straight,
keeping him talking and trying to get him out of the water. I
definitely think that my Air Force training allowed me to keep
a cool head and take control of the situation, but I couldn’t
have done it without Bonnie’s help.”
Since the accident, he and Bonnie have kept in contact with Brendan
and his family through phone calls and visits to their home. Despite
suffering headaches and pain from his injuries, Brendan now has
no major problems, according to LAC Boehm.
“I think there will always be a special connection between
Brendan, myself and Bonnie, as without the two of us, he wouldn’t
be here today.”
