Survivor suggests beach attack kits

18.08.2010

The survivor of WA's last serious
shark attack said he was "gutted" to
hear of the death of a fellow surfer
near Gracetown yesterday.
Mick Bedford is still recovering
from horrific leg injuries caused by a
shark while he was surfing in waters
off Walpole in June.
The father of two said kits with
tourniquets and thick pads should be
installed on WA beaches to help people
attacked by sharks and there
should more first-aid training in the
community.
Still in need of physiotherapy and
not yet strong enough to get back on
his board, the 40-year-old said while
he was looking forward to surfing
again, he was apprehensive about
going back into WA's waters.
"Knowing I'm going back to isolated
beaches and surfing out there on
my own that's the biggest hurdle
for me," he said. "It's all vivid. I can't
block it out. I deal with it, for sure."
Mr Bedford saw the shark heading
towards him as he sat on his board off
Conspicuous Cliff beach, 15km east of
Walpole, on June 6. Initially he
though the shark would swim past
him, but it moved behind him and
attacked.
Mr Bedford has deep gashes to his
right leg, but managed to catch a wave
to shore. People on the beach put a
tourniquet on his leg and used his
surfboard to carry him up the cliff.