Safety officials receive awards for heroism

Three Huntington Beach police officers and one Huntington Beach lifeguard received awards Thursday from a statewide association of water safety professionals.

At its board meeting in Long Beach, the California Surf Lifesaving Assn. honored police officers Frankie Choyeski, Francisco Jimenez and Michael Thomas with its Heroic Act Awards for saving a woman who jumped from the pier last August in an apparent suicide attempt. The organization also honored lifeguard Greg Eisele, who rescued three non-swimmer teenagers while he was off duty, with their Meritorious Act Award.

Eisele was surfing on May 5, 2007, when he heard the teens splash into the water off the end of the pier, a blind spot where the view of on-duty lifeguards was blocked by Ruby’s Diner, Marine Safety Chief Kyle Lindo said. He saw they couldn’t swim and put all three on his surfboard, where he paddled them into view and called for the lifeguards at Tower Zero.

“I know Greg would play it off and say it wasn’t a big deal,” Lindo said. “But we’re happy he’s receiving an award because it acknowledges his character and his ability to perform.”

Choyeski and Thomas leapt from the pier to save a 56-year-old woman who had jumped into the waters at about 5 a.m. last August, authorities said at the time. Lifeguards were off duty at that hour, but Jimenez went to their headquarters and came back with a paddleboard to bring all three to shore.