HANALEI — A 49-year-old visitor from Illinois is alive today due to the watchfulness of a county lifeguard. Chris Pico, who has been with the Ocean Safety Bureau for nearly eight years, was on duty at the Hanalei Bay tower
HANALEI — A 49-year-old visitor from Illinois is alive today due to the watchfulness of a county lifeguard.
Chris Pico, who has been with the Ocean Safety Bureau for nearly eight years, was on duty at the Hanalei Bay tower April 17 when he noticed a person’s head bobbing in the water approximately 1,000 yards from the tower at a spot known as “The Cape,” according to a press release from the Kaua‘i Fire Department.
Jumping on a county ATV, Pico rode to the spot and confirmed that a man was in distress. He then grabbed a surfboard and paddled out to the man. Two of Pico’s friends, Brett Devlin and Kalani Nui, who were surfing in the area, paddled out to assist Pico, the release said.
When the trio reached the man, he was floating face down. They put him on a board and brought him to shore. Pico checked the man’s vital signs and began administering chest compressions to the man.
Lifeguard Dustin Koga brought medical equipment and administered oxygen to the man. Shortly afterward, he began to regain consciousness.
Lifeguards Chris Simpson and Jeff Maddox from the Hanalei Pavilion tower also responded and provided additional life-saving equipment. When firefighters from the Hanalei station and medics arrived at the scene, the man was close to being fully conscious.
He was taken to Wilcox Hospital for treatment and released the following day, according to the release.
