David Rylance receives honour

Congratulations Elwood Life Saving Club president David Rylance who has been awarded the Emergency Services Medal in the Australia Day honours.

David has been recognised for exceptional service to lifesaving over more than 30 years.

He is one of just four people in Victoria to receive the honour in this year’s awards.

As well as club president David has served as the club’s chief instructor, a patrol captain and been a director on Life Saving Victoria’s boards.

He started volunteering in 1991.

During this time he has responded to numerous incidents and major first aid cases. 

These have included searches for missing persons, radio operations and water rescues in hazardous conditions. 

David’s service has also included working in a group that merged the volunteer patrol operations of the Royal Life Saving Australia Victoria Branch and Surf Life Saving Victoria. 

His operational duties span working as state duty officer, being the inaugural chief pilot of Life Saving Victoria’s Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems unit and working as a jet ski operator in Life Saving Victoria’s Rescue Watercraft service. 

David – who works as a firefighter – is responsible for training more than a thousand lifesavers who keep the state’s beaches safe and instituted a program which sees students from Elwood College gain their Bronze Medallion. 

His commitment to lifesaving has extended to state and national roles through Life Saving Victoria and Surf Life Saving Australia, including assisting in the development of Bronze Medallion training for lifesavers around the country. 

Elwood LSC commends David on this outstanding and well deserved achievement.

The award was presented during a special ceremony at Government House on April 6.