Roland DaSilva , a Delray Beach firefighter and former University of Miami track and field star who moonlights as a lifeguard with ocean rescue, and the son of Roland DaSilva, former Airline Captain, Chief Pilot of Guyana Airways, saved a swimmer from strong rip currents on Delray Beach Florida.
It was only his second day working for Ocean Rescue when a man visiting from Massachusetts found himself in deep trouble. According to Roland (Jr.) “He was waving us off then three seconds later he was yelling for help.” DaSilva quickly swam out to the man and took him to shore.
Earlier, swimmers were warned of strong rip currents in the Delray Beach area and according to meteorologists “surf conditions won’t be improving soon. Rip currents, powerful channels of water flowing quickly away from the shore, are expected to stay in place until early next week.”
Experts advise anyone caught in rip currents to swim sideways, parallel to the beach. Once out of the rip current, swim at an angle away from the rip current and towards shore. But the best piece of advice may be to stay out of the water completely until conditions improve.
According to one report, DaSilva said the attention was “embarrassing.”
“I’m the new guy so I don’t want to come off like a hero at all,” DaSilva said.
Link: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/rip-current-advisory-through-saturday-in-palm-beac/nkWGk/
