A Honolulu Ocean Safety lifeguard helped an unresponsive man found without a pulse and not breathing at Māʻili Beach Park in Waianae Monday morning regain consciousness after two cycles of CPR before paramedics arrived. The man was located roughly 150 yards down the beach from Lifeguard Tower 43A, on land rather than in the water.
Honolulu Ocean Safety Department officials responded to a report of an unresponsive man at approximately 10:16 a.m., according to Island News. When the lifeguard reached him, the man had no pulse and was not breathing, prompting the immediate start of CPR. After two cycles, he regained consciousness, the outlet reported.
The Honolulu Fire Department responded to the scene shortly afterward, and Honolulu Emergency Medical Services took over the man's care, providing further evaluation and treatment.
A Beach Known for Punishing Currents
Māʻili Beach Park spans 40 acres along Oahu's leeward coast and has a lifeguard tower, according to To-Hawaii.com. The stretch can experience strong currents on any day and heavy winter surf along a shoreline lined by rock shelves.
Rip currents account for more than 80% of all surf beach lifeguard rescues nationwide, per United States Lifesaving Association statistics cited by Hawaii Pacific University Online. Ocean safety officials urge beachgoers to swim near lifeguards and seek help immediately during any emergency in or around the water.
A Department Built for Faster Response
The rescue also reflects a restructuring of how Oahu handles ocean emergencies. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed Resolution 24-103 in May 2024, establishing Ocean Safety as its own standalone city department and separating lifeguard operations from the Honolulu Emergency Services Department, which had housed Ocean Safety alongside ambulance services, according to Honolulu.gov. The city followed that move in December 2025 by appointing 20-year lifeguard veteran Kurt Lager as the new department's first official Chief of Ocean Safety.
Hawaii's Ongoing Drowning Crisis
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children under 15 in Hawaii, according to Water Safety Hawaii.
In January, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources announced plans to reactivate a multi-agency beach safety task force, dormant for 14 years, to review hazard warning signs across public beaches where roughly 800 people have drowned over the past decade, according to Honolulu Civil Beat.
Saturday's save near Tower 2B in a separate Waikiki rescue involved Honolulu Ocean Safety lifeguards reviving another unresponsive swimmer using CPR and an AED. The department is reminding beachgoers to seek help immediately during any emergency in or around the water and to swim near a lifeguard whenever possible.
