While on a break from teaching the U.S. Navy’s Security Reaction Force – Basic course, instructors Joe Ramirez and Rick Granados heard a cry for help from a nearby beach. As Ramirez sprinted down the boardwalk, he saw a figure in the surf about 50 yards from his position, a man who appeared to be semi-conscious and unable to stand as two other people struggled to get the man out of the surf.
 
“The surf was extremely heavy at the time,” said Ramirez. “I knew the man was in trouble, and ran towards the people on the beach while calling 911. When I got to them, the man was still in the surf, laying on his back making gurgling sounds. He was now completely unresponsive, so I pulled him into a recovery position and began giving the 911 operator details of my location. I signaled to Rick to wait for an emergency medical services team in the parking lot, and passed my phone to one of the bystanders, telling her to provide further details to 911 operator.”
 
Ramirez further shared that he and others managed to carry the man out of the surf to an elevated spot on the dunes, where he began treating the man for shock. The man slowly regained consciousness and began to respond to questions. A short time later, emergency medical services arrived on the scene.
 
“As we walked away, I noticed the man walking under his own power to the EMS beach buggy,” said Ramirez. “It’s a good thing that we happened to be nearby and that we have the kind of water rescue, basic lifesaving, and other training that we do. Things might have turned out much differently.”
 
The Center for Security Forces provides specialized training to more than 23-thousand students each year. It has 14 training locations across the United States and worldwide that carry the motto: "Where Training Breeds Confidence."