City of Coffs Harbour to investigate shark bite response program Coffs Coast Coffs Coast - popup ad Coffs Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - August 16, 2024 Cr Jonathan Cassell believes having tourniquets readily available can help save lives at the beach. Photo: supplied. CITY of Coffs Harbour councillors voted unanimously for council staff to prepare a report on initiating a ‘Shark Bite Emergency Response Program’. Cr Cassell said such a program would be a first for the state, aiming to make Coffs Coast beaches safer for locals and visitors who surf or swim along the coast. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au The Greens councillor said he was prompted to move the motion at council’s 8 August meeting after an off-duty police officer used a dog-leash as a makeshift tourniquet to help save the life of Bonny Hills surfer Kai McKenzie after a shark mauling last month. “I believe this program has enormous potential to save lives and could be rolled out across other NSW coastal council areas.” Cr Cassell suggests the program could install tourniquet kits inside Rescue Tube storage boxes found at beach locations across the Coffs Coast. “Applying a tourniquet is not difficult and general first aid courses are increasingly teaching people how to use them in emergency situations,” he said. “There now needs to be physical tourniquet kits on beaches ready to be used by an increasing number of people who are trained to use them.” By Andrew VIVIAN
