QUICK thinking by a retired police officer saved a seven-year-old boy’s life at Frankston Beach on Christmas Day 2022. Paul Weller was spending Christmas at the beach with his partner and child when he spotted what looked like a plastic bag in the water. Upon closer inspection, Weller realized that a young boy was drowning.
“The beach was choc-a-block and the water was flat as a pancake. I was looking in the water, and I saw what I thought was a plastic bag about 45 metres from shore. I walked about 10 metres in when I realized it was a person – it was a little boy with a white singlet,” Weller said. “The boy was face-down. I went in and picked him up, and a relative of his arrived about 10 seconds behind me. We took him onto the shore, but he looked dead as a doornail. His eyes were white. “We gave him CPR, and he spewed his lunch into my gob.” After three minutes of CPR, the seven-year-old thankfully emerged okay. He was taken to hospital for observation.
Nearly two years on from his lifesaving efforts, Weller has been recognised with an award. Last month at a presentation at the Victoria Police Academy, Victoria Police chief commissioner Shane Patton handed him a citizen commendation. Frankston Police acting superintendent Terrence Rowlands is among those to pay tribute to Weller. He said “there is no greater act than the preservation of a life.” “In a moment of crisis, Paul’s training and experience as a police officer of almost 40 years came to the fore. I have no doubt the outcome would have been very different if not for his quick thinking and selfless actions,” he said.
Weller was a member of Victoria Police between 1978 and 2016. He says that more work needs to be done to ensure visitors and new arrivals to Australia know the dangers of beaches and waterways. “There isn’t an understanding about how the water is dangerous – a 15 minute video explaining the dangers would help save people who come to Australia from drowning. There should be a video for people arriving to Australia on a permanent basis to explain rips and what to do when drownings occur,” Weller said. “It’s hard to train everyone, but a basic understanding would be advantageous.”
First published in the Frankston Times – 8 October 2024