Gulf Shores, Ala. — (GSN) — During this week's Gulf Shores City Council meeting, the community came together to recognize the extraordinary bravery and dedication of its first responders and safety personnel, highlighting several life-saving awards and national achievements.

The Gulf Shores Police Department presented prestigious Life-Saving Awards to Sergeant Will Phillips and Command Sergeant Landon Coker for their quick actions during critical medical emergencies.

On May 9, 2026, Sergeant Phillips responded to a cardiac arrest call involving local resident Mr. Lawley. Upon arriving at the scene, Sergeant Phillips immediately initiated CPR and successfully restored the resident's breathing within three minutes of his response. Mr. Lawley survived the harrowing incident and later noted that doctors informed him that cardiac arrest occurring outside of a hospital setting carries a mere 2% survival rate.

In a separate incident on June 3, 2026, Command Sergeant Coker responded to a cardiac arrest involving a 39-year-old male at 110 West Second Avenue. Arriving at the home, Command Sergeant Coker relieved the patient's wife, Mrs. Kelber, who had been performing CPR. He continued the life-saving procedure for four and a half minutes until medical personnel arrived. First responders continued CPR until the patient regained a pulse, and he was alert and conscious by the time he was transported from the scene. Mr. Kelber acknowledged the calming presence maintained by the officers on the scene, and both he and Mrs. Kelber expressed that Command Sergeant Coker's continued efforts were essential to his survival.

The meeting also celebrated the elite skills and dedication of the Gulf Shores lifeguard team, both on the national competitive stage and on local beaches.

Seven Gulf Shores lifeguards recently traveled to Fort Lauderdale to compete at the national level with the Emerald Coast chapter, which secured an impressive fifth-place finish out of 36 teams. Among the competitors, a first-year lifeguard from the Gulf Shores team received a high-performance award and is currently being recruited for the national team to compete internationally against countries like Australia.

Closer to home, the City Council officially presented the Lifeguard of the Month award for July to Omar, a fifth-year lifeguard, Gulf Shores High School graduate, and current biochemistry student at Auburn University. Omar was recognized by his peers and supervisors for his dependability, hard work, and positive attitude.

Omar's staggering impact during the month of July included handling 37 calls of service involving 392 people. His monthly service record comprised 217 public contacts, 56 ordinance enforcements, five missing children, 101 preventative actions, five minor medical calls, one wildlife incident, one rescue, and three assists. Notably, Omar also responded swiftly to a gentleman experiencing a cardiac event at the beach, facilitating the man's initial treatment and subsequent transport to the hospital.

Being a town of tourism, Gulf Shores Fire Rescue trains to assist residents and visitors year-round. One of their largest sources of calls is related to Rip Currents, which they address in the following video.