Liza Dawson-Whisker, a new student journalist in the Applied Communications Program at Camosun College happened to be in the vicinity of a rescue event on Whiffin Spit last Thursday evening. She took photos as it unfolded and interviewed the gentleman who found an unconscious woman and called for help. Here is her report and photograph.
Sooke Emergency teams responded promptly to a call from Whiffin Spit today when an unconscious woman was discovered around 6.15 p.m. on the beach. Gordon Schmidtz was playing with his dog on the beach when he spotted someone in a green jacket hunched over some rocks. He thought at first the woman was bending over taking a photograph, but quickly realized she was not moving.
“As I got closer I asked if she was okay but didn’t get any response at all and realized she was in trouble” he said.
He didn’t think she was breathing but he couldn’t tell. He immediately stopped some passers-by who called 911. Paramedics arrived promptly and the woman was taken to hospital. It is a miracle Mr. Schmidtz spotted her since it was later in the day and she was 100 yards or so away from the popular dog-walking trail in a little traversed area of the beach. Newcomer to the area Schmidtz credits his dog Rider for drawing his attention in her direction.