A Michigan man recently saved a man from dying in the waters off Melbourne Beach, with the help of one of the lifesaving devices the club had recently installed along the town’s beaches as part of the “Drown Zero” initiative. (Read entire story at HomeTown News)

The Melbourne Beach Rotary Club project, called DrownZero, began after being contacted by the Cocoa Beach Rotary club to help sponsor these lifesaving stations. The Melbourne Beach Rotary got approval from the Town to place these lifesaving stations at 13 locations in the Town. The Melbourne Beach Rotary put up the stations in October of 2022.

On Sunday, February 19th, a family from Michigan (Rick and Laurel Jander) were visiting MB Beach at the Ocean Ave beach location. They noticed three people far out in the water. One of the three people in the water (a teenage daughter) struggled but made it ashore and frantically was asking for help. She said her dad and brother were drowning. With the help of his family, a lifesaving ring was obtained at Ocean Ave South location (currently sponsored by Melbourne Beach Neighbors), and Rick swam to the son with the ring and with both holding the ring Rick was able to swim and save the brother by getting him to shore. Rick then returned to the water south of the Ocean Ave beach with the ring at the First Ave location and dragged out the father to shore, but he did not survive after citizen nurses, a Melbourne Beach police officer and County EMT’s tried to resuscitate him.

Rick who is 64 years old and an accomplished swimmer told us numerous times he would not have attempted either rescue without the ring. Rich is the best of what people do in a difficult life saving situation. They responded to the call.

If you or your company would like to sponsor a Drown Zero life saving device, please contact The Melbourne Beach Rotary club.