On Saturday, March 24, Deputy David McMaster of Orange County risked his life to rescue a couple while on vacation on Discovery Island in the Bahamas. The couple were snorkeling in a lagoon on the North side of the island when a current shift forced them into rough surf and battling against an unexpected current that was moving them towards either open ocean or where the rough surf met large rocks. Deputy McMaster heard the couple calling for help and there was no one else in the area working on a rescue. Without even realizing why the couple was in trouble, Deputy McMaster swam out to find them in the water.
Upon discovering that the wife needed assistance, Deputy McMaster encouraged calm and helped lead the couple back to shore using a Daisy chain. Deputy McMaster put himself at significant risk to help the couple who he’d never met before in a foreign country when he had no obligation to do so. He acted quickly and effectively when others on that beach hesitated or opted to wait for the rescue boat to arrive.
We commend David for his bravery and for going above and beyond the call of duty to help those in need. Without his bravery, this couple’s trip could have had a very tragic end, we are grateful to our Deputies who put their lives on the line everyday and continue to serve off-duty.