Rob

Volunteer

Q. How long have you been a volunteer with Hato Hone St John?
A. Ten months
 
Q. Why did you join?
A. To enhance my first aid skills, extend my knowledge and contribute to the community.
 
Q. What do you like about being a Hato Hone St John volunteer?
A. The huge range of characters who make every training and shift a great experience.
 
Q. What do you do outside Hato Hone St John?
A. I work for Surf Lifesaving as the National Training Manager looking after all first aid training both internally and externally.
 
Q. What are you hobbies/interests?
A. Art, poetry, swimming, kayaking and of course surf lifesaving.
 
Interviewed: March 2011
 

Additional

Rob made headlines back in 2004 after an off-shore encounter with a pod of dolphins and a great white shark off Ocean beach, near Whangarei.

Rob, a veteren lifeguard, was swimming with 3 trainees (one of which was his daughter Niccy - pictured) well beyond the breakers when 7 dolphins surrounded the group. The dolpins then began to leap and slap the water with their flukes. After nearly 40 minutes Rob broke away from the circle. One of the dolphins swam towards him at speed and then dived. Concerned at what the dolphin was doing Rob turned to look in the dolphin's direction. He was shocked to see that no more that 2 metres below him a great white shark turning to evade the fast swimming dolphin. It was at that point that Rob realised that the dolphins had been protecting the group. After the shark had disappeared the dolphins stopped their splashing, circled the group a couple of more times and then swam off.

Despite this harrowing experience both Rob and the girls continue to be active in surf lifesaving.

Read the full story on BBC News >>

Rob
blank image