Off-Duty Firefighters Aid Stricken Fellow Surfer

Surfers, firefighters and paramedics worked furiously Monday to save the life of a Burbank man who suffered a massive heart attack after riding a wave at Surfers Point.

It took rescuers nearly half an hour to revive Thomas McDonnell, 63, after he collapsed around 10:25 a.m. while surfing with his son, authorities said. He was taken to Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, where he remained in critical condition, said hospital spokeswoman Rhonda Spiegel.

Two off-duty firefighters and a paramedic who were surfing nearby aided in the rescue.

Ventura Fire Capt. Barry Simmons said he was unaware that the people administering aid at the beach were off-duty firefighters. But it was evident they had some expertise, he said.

“The typical thing is that people start backing up when we arrive. They want us to take over,” Simmons said. “But these guys didn’t back up. They continued to do CPR right until the moment we took over.”