The Tairua Surf Life Saving Club won Surf Life Saving NZ Eastern Region's rescue of the month for January.

The club picked up the award for the rescue of three swimmers who were caught in a rip at the Northern end of Tairua Beach, approximately one kilometre from the surf club, on January 6.

Tairua Surf Life Saving Club has won Surf Life Saving NZ Eastern Region's Rescue of the Month for January. Photo: TSLSC/Facebook

Tairua club captain Matthew Kerr says three lifeguards were on duty at the time when they were alerted that three swimmers were caught in a rip about 40 metres off shore.

'It was a really rough day and terrible conditions to be swimming in,” Matthew remembers.

'I was also impressed that the lifeguards managed to spot the group as they were quite a distance away from the clubhouse.”

Two lifeguards launched the IRB and proceeded to the Northern end of the beach to discover five people in the water, as two members of the public had swum out to offer help.

A 16-year-old male struggling to stay afloat was the first to be rescued and lifeguards decided to return to shore immediately due to his condition.

On their way to shore lifeguards rescued a second swimmer, while the IRB driver grabbed his fins and rescue tube and swam out to assist the other patients. He performed a tube rescue on another patient and instructed the remaining swimmers to take the safest way back to shore.

Meanwhile, the IRB crew assessed the 16-year-old patient who was only responsive to pain. More help was called for and another lifeguard arrived on scene with necessary medical supplies.

After further assessment the lifeguards called for an ambulance due to risk of secondary drowning as the patient had vomited up salt water. Lifeguards administered oxygen and continued to monitor his vital signs until the ambulance arrived.

The patient was then transported to hospital via ambulance and the other two patients were assessed and left the beach in a stable condition.

Matthew says he's extremely proud of how the team responded to the incident.

'Everything about this rescue was textbook, it was a perfect example of patient priority and care at its best.

'It was a bit of a long wait for the ambulance, about half an hour or so until it arrived. But all the training and courses our lifeguards undertake really paid off for the patient in this instance.”

Each month, Surf Life Saving NZ selects a winning rescue from each region, plus an overall national winner for the title of BP Rescue of the Month. For the winning rescue, the Tairua club will receives a $100 gift card from BP.

The SLSNZ Eastern Region covers the Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne.