Memorial Set To Honor Ocean Shores Firefighter---(Washington)

CaptnKirk · 03-23-2006, 05:40 AM

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OCEAN SHORES - A memorial has now been set for Mar. 29 to honor Ocean Shores firefighter Rob McLaughlin, who died in a surf rescue training exercise.

The Surf Rescue Team is run by the Ocean Shores Police Department, but with three members of the fire department. Fire Capt. McLaughlin was one of them.

McLaughlin spent 20 years as a firefighter paramedic, but this was his first year on the Surf Rescue Team. Monday he was out training in the heavy surf of Ocean Shores when he and his partner were tossed out of their personal watercraft.

"Basically, we were out training and we both got knocked off the watercraft," said surf rescuer Curt Begley. "I didn't see much after we got off the craft because the trainer was out there and took Rob and started in with him. I was out there and lost sight of them until we got to the beach. We just came off a wave a little sideways and we lost the craft and away we went."

Begley says he didn't think much of it because they train to get tossed into the water.

"I lost sight of him when the instructor started taking him to the beach. I was trying to get back on the watercraft and taking the waves as they came," he said. "I was basically staying out there until they got Rob to the beach and then come pick me up. As time went by I realized he's not coming back as quick as he should so it's time for me to start working my way back in."

Police Lt. Russ Fitts of the Surf Rescue Team says, "One of our officers tried to assist him back onto his personal watercraft he couldn't make it up on board. Subsequently we handed him another floatation device and he had a tough time holding onto that. And as the officer was calling for additional help he went back to see him floating in the water and brought him to shore."

McLaughlin was in full floatation gear and was talking to the first trainer who got to him. But he was unconscious when they got him to shore.

“It's virtually impossible for us to go completely underwater with the amount of gear we have on us," Fitts said. "Invariably, something still can happen."

McLaughlin died just after midnight Wednesday morning.

"I'm angry that I've lost one of my best commanders and one of my good friends," said Ocean Shores Fire Chief Jim Hodges. "But it's not an anger at the Surf Rescue Team, it's an anger at my own helpless in this situation."

It's the second death for the team. Eight years ago, team founder Lt. Jim Davis died in a surf rescue operation. Ironically, it was Rob McLaughlin who was the first to try to save him. He spoke with us back then.

McLaughlin in 1998 said, "Couple times along the way, we did have pulses back. But we were unable to sustain it."

So he knew the danger, yet Rob McLaughlin wanted to part of it.

"Rob was fireman all the way," Hodges said. "He lived it, he ate it, he breathed it and unfortunately he died it, but he died doing what he loved doing and that was preparing himself to save and give to other people."

A memorial fund for his wife and three children has been set up at Twin Counties Credit Union in Rob McLaughlin's name. They can be reached at 1-800-258-3115.

Fire fighters from all over the region are expected to come to Ocean Shores for the memorial March 29 at 2 p.m. at the Ocean Shores Convention Center.

Investigators still don't know if he drowned or perhaps had some medical condition go wrong.

KOMO 4 News

crab · 03-23-2006, 03:02 PM

My heart goes out to the family and friends for their loss, I recently discovered surf riding down at Long Beach and this just hits too close to home. Crab