ISLA Medical Director Dr. Justin Sempsrott is Honored as Lifesaver Of The Year

ISLA Medical Director, Dr. Justin Sempsrott, was awarded the title of 2015 Lifesaver of the Year by the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. Justin was competing against nine other finalists; all nominated for their impact on the lives of others in a water-related capacity.

Justin has been an Ocean Lifeguard since 1996, and is also the Co-founder of Lifeguards Without Borders. He is also the Medical Director for Starfish Aquatics Institute and works as an Emergency Medicine and EMS Physician in North Carolina. During the month of December, ISLA supporters all over the world voted (9,475 votes to be exact) for Justin to secure his position as the 2015 Lifesaver of the Year.

Dr Sempsrott drowning lectures have become legendary. Not just for their fun delivery of serious information, but for the influence that they have had on actual rescues performed by attendees. For example, this case, written up in the international Emergency Medical Services magazine EMS World, describes the resuscitation of a 75 year old man who drowned at an unguarded beach and was dead when EMS arrived, but was successfully revived and able to return home to his family just four days later. The responding paramedic had just attended Dr Sempsrott lecture and said “We got him in the back of a pickup truck to take him to the ambulance, and I’m watching Justin’s presentation unfold right in front of me.”

Dr. Sempsrott has delivered his state of the art drowning resuscitation lecture to thousands of individuals, including healthcare professionals, Navy SEALS and Special Operations military personnel, hospital-based providers, EMS personnel, parents, and lifeguards around the world.

“Through all of the presentations that I have done, I am most proud of the phone calls that I get days to years afterwards from lifeguards, paramedics, doctors, and other saying that they had an actual drowning patient, and my lecture played back in their mind and they knew what to do, and saved a life.” – Justin

Below is video of Dr. Sempsrott drowning resuscitation lecture:

Justin will receive an all-expense paid trip to the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) Symposium in Phoenix, Arizona and use this experience as an opportunity to share ISLA’s humanitarian efforts, mission, announce future projects, and network with foundations and potential sponsors.

To learn more about the NDPA, visit their website.