Surf Life-Saving RESUSCITATION METHODS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29272, 2 August 1960, Page 5

Surf Life-Saving RESUSCITATION METHODS

Expired Air System Adopted

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 31. The Holger-Neilson system of artificial respiration will be dropped entirely from competition by the New Zealand Surf Life-Saving Association in the coming season and will be replaced by one of the expired air methods, it was decided at the association’s annual meeting on Saturday. Mr G. E. Perry (Auckland), who was chairman at the sub-committee appointed to work on drill changes necessary before the introduction of the new methods into competition moved that the Holger-Neilson method be deleted from all six-man and four-man surf competition and replaced by a demonstration of the mouth-to-nose method. This would not be judged for the time being, and would not involve any contact between patient and demonstrator. The mouth-to-nose method had some advantages over mouth-to-mouth in surf rescues, in that the mouth was easier to seal when in the water. The tongue, which could cause an air stoppage, in an unconscious person, was by-passed by this method. In an actual rescue, where the patient was unconscious, a beltman could apply this method while being hauled back to shore with the rescued person.

It was decided to restrict entries in next year’s national surf lifesaving championships at Dunedin. In all six and four-man events, district associations with more than six clubs will be restricted to five teams, and those with less than six clubs can enter three teams. It was left to the district associations to decide which teams qualified. The 1962 national surf life-saving championships will be held in Wellington.

A Philadelphian was awarded a patent on a car bumper designed to scoop up pedestrians instead of running them down.