Cape May Point lifeguard rescued girl from drowning
CAPE MAY POINT — Lifeguard Ryan Gibson was recognized Sept. 18 for his heroic efforts to save the life of a 10-year-old in distress during an after-hours ocean rescue Aug. 12 off Lehigh Avenue beach.
Deputy Mayor Elise Geiger presented Gibson with a congressional proclamation from U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a joint legislative commendation from state Sen. Michael Testa and state Assemblymen Erik Simonsen and Antwan McClellan, and one from the Borough of Cape May Point commissioners.
A full house of attendees filled the Cape May Point Volunteer Fire Company for a reception to celebrate Gibson.
Geiger said she heard about the rescue from Gibson’s father, Public Works Director Bill Gibson, as well as from Cape May Police Department Lt. Scott Krissinger and Cape May Point Beach Patrol Chief Ben Swan.
“Ben, a man of few words, gave it to me and told me what happened,” Geiger said. “He said something that really stuck with me. He said, ‘Do you believe in a higher authority/God?’ and I said ‘yes, I do.’ And he said, ‘Well, God put Ryan on that beach last night.’”
Geiger added that Krissinger told her the rescue was not something that happens often, and in the 10 years he had been working, it was a significant save. He encouraged Geiger to make sure Gibson was recognized.
“I then said, ‘Let me call the Star and Wave, Rachel Shubin,’ and she wrote a wonderful article,” Geiger said. “Then the police put it on Facebook and the next thing I know there are TV people here and the whole thing went crazy.”
Swan said he was very proud of Gibson, noting it was incredible he was there that day and did an awesome job.
“Ryan, we were looking for something that you’re going to want to keep on your credenza or your desk,” Geiger said. “In the business world, if you do something big, you get something called a tombstone. Don’t ask me why it’s called a tombstone, but this is your first tombstone.”
Gibson thanked everyone who put in the effort to get him recognized and pushed for awards, including Krissinger and Geiger. He added that the Cape May Point community is like a family.
“I would like to thank my parents for raising me how I am,” Gibson said. “I’ve never seen Bill Gibson cry in my life; that’s the best deal I got out of it.”
Background
When it became clear a young girl was in distress in the ocean, bystanders on the beach yelled for help. Gibson, who had been hanging out on the beach after work, responded to the cries. He entered the water, despite not having any rescue equipment.
“A little after 6:30 p.m., a young female had gone into the water and the incoming tide had a really strong current that pulls a lot of water to the bay,” Swan said. “She got pulled out too far to stand pretty quickly.”
Before entering the water, Gibson told the people near the rocks to call 911 and the Fire Department. He knew that if he needed help, they would be able to help. Despite not having his paddleboard or can, he entered the waters.
When Gibson reached the girl, she was panicked and he told her to take deep breaths.
“The current was too strong, so I couldn’t swim her in without my can,” Gibson said. “I got her and myself up on the rocks.”
Lifeguard cans, also called rescue buoys, are hard, bright plastic flotation devices with a strap and rope used during water rescues.
Swan said the individuals who entered the water kept getting pushed against the rocks. They tried to form a human chain — an emergency rescue method in which rescuers link hands and arms from the shallow shore into the rough water — but were not successful.
“Ryan stayed with the victim, worked his way onto the rock pile and from there they were able to get atop the rocks and catch their breath and walk back to shore,” Swan said, adding that he and off-duty lifeguard Lt. Matt Gibson (Ryan’s brother) arrived at the scene and helped them off the rocks to safety.
The other individuals who attempted to help were also assisted onto the beach. By that time, an ambulance and Cape May Point Volunteer Fire Company responded and were able to assist in the incident; there were no injuries.
Since Gibson didn’t have his can, he was swimming with one arm while holding the girl and detoured to the rocks for easier rescue efforts.
“I really appreciate every single person trying to help in that situation, from the people who called the fire department all the way to the people [in the water],” Gibson said. “Just the courage to go out there and try to help me out was very much appreciated.”
Swan stressed that swimming only when lifeguards are present is critical for safety. Cape May Point lifeguards are on duty from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily during the season.
“Wave activity was pretty small this week; when you look at the water, it looked pretty calm,” Swan said, adding that the tidal currents are stronger during the new moon, which occurred Aug. 12.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, spring tides occur twice a month during both the new and full moons, when the alignment of the Earth, sun and moon combines their gravitational forces to create higher high tides and lower low tides. Despite the name, spring tides happen roughly every 14 days, as many as 25 times a year.
“Even if the water looks calm, there are things that [beachgoers] don’t see, but we recognize as lifeguards,” Swan said. “We’re very thankful Ryan was on the beach that day because it could’ve gone very differently.”
Gibson said swimming against the current with one arm proved difficult.
“What’s different from Cape May Point to other beach patrols is we have a current that goes left and right, into the bay or out of the bay,” Gibson said. “The very strong, incoming current was going over top of the rocks, almost like a river.”
He explained that even atop the jagged rocks, it’s difficult to see them.
“That was also my main concern when I got her out of the water, [but] she had sleeves on,” he said. “I was a little cut up coming out of the water, but I was putting getting her out as the main priority.”
Both the girl and Gibson made it out of the water safely. The other individuals who attempted to help were also assisted onto the beach.
“I really appreciate every single person trying to help in that situation, from the people who called the fire department all the way to the people [in the water],” Gibson said. “Just the courage to go out there and try to help me out was very much appreciated.”
Safety is a number one priority of the Cape May Point Beach Patrol, whose motto is “when in doubt, don’t go out.”
By RACHEL SHUBIN/Special to the Star and Wave
