Police have released the name of the American visitor who died on Wednesday at John Smith’s Bay beach.

David Longenette, 48, was pronounced dead at 3.08 p.m. on Wednesday at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital after an Emergency Services team responded to the call that a man was lying unresponsive on the beach at roughly 2.25 that afternoon. Both the Police Service and the Parks Department yesterday extended their condolences to Mr. Longenette’s family.

In a letter to the Editor of this newspaper released late yesterday afternoon, Lisa-Dawn Johnston, Director of Parks wrote: “Firstly, the entire Department would like to offer condolences to the victim’s family and convey their sadness at his untimely passing. Our thoughts and sympathies are with them.”

Ms Johnston also used the letter to the Editor to deny comments made by eye-witnesses to The Royal Gazette in an article published yesterday about the events on the beach following Mr. Longenette’s collapse.

Visitors Scott and Jayce Nicholls told The Royal Gazette <$>that while the Emergency Services response to the incident had been very quick, lifeguards had not responded as quickly and had not seemed to know how to use a defibrillator.

The Royal Gazette requested comment from the lifeguards on the scene on Wednesday, who declined, deferring comment to their supervisor Dean Bottomely.

Mr. Bottomely was also contacted on Wednesday afternoon but referred all questions to Government’s Department of Communication and Information (DCI). No response to those questions was received from DCI Wednesday or yesterday, however, Ms Johnston’s letter to the Editor was forwarded late yesterday afternoon.

In the letter, Mrs. Johnston denies the Nicholls’ account of events and claims the story was “sensationalised”.

“Mr. Nicholls did not operate the AED at any time. He did try to assist the lifeguard in taking the AED out of the lifeguard back pack,” the letter said. “Mr. Editor, the facts of the incident that can be released at this time are as follows: At approximately 14:10 hrs on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007, the two lifeguards on duty at John Smith’s Bay where alerted to a man on the beach complaining of a leg cramp. The guard in the tower at the time hoisted the out of tower flag and grabbed the medical bag and proceeded to where the man was on the beach. Upon arrival he was met by a gentleman identifying himself as an MD and some other onlookers

“At this point the victim had lain down and the MD had already begun chest compressions, the lifeguard began to check for a pulse, executed the head tilt chin lift and began rescue breathing in conjunction with the chest compressions in progress. The lifeguard issued two breaths per every 30 compressions. At the end of the first cycle it was observed that there was foam coming from his nose and around the mouth. The man was subsequently put into the recovery position to assist with clearing his airway. After checking his airway CPR was continued again with oxygen also administered.

“Both the MD and the lifeguard continued two-man CPR for another three to four cycles as well as administration of oxygen. The MD attempted to obtain a pulse from the victim’s femoral artery, but was unable to find a pulse.

“The second lifeguard on duty retrieved the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) from the response kit and connected the pads for AED monitoring.

“Once the AED was attached to the victim to analyse his cardiac rhythm, the device indicated no shock was required and to continue with CPR. CPR was continued and shortly after Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel from King Edward VII Memorial Hospital arrived on the scene. CPR was continued with EMS personnel administering nitrogen and they attached their defibrillator to the victim, at which time they got the same response as previously, that no shock should be administered and to continue CPR.

“Once the AED was attached by EMS personnel, the device indicated that the victim’s heart had gone Asystole or flat lined and was absent of electrical activity. This is why the two separate AEDs used by the both the lifeguard and the EMS personnel advised that no shock should be administered, and to continue CPR.

“It should also be noted that the AED used during this incident is brand new. New AEDs were purchased for all lifeguard towers from the Bermuda Red Cross to meet new standards.

“The lifeguards and EMS personnel then put the individual on the stretcher and strapped him in, gathered additional assistance and took him across the beach to the waiting EMS Unit.

“The EMS unit arrived back at King Edward where the victim was sadly pronounced dead at approximately 3 p.m.”

Ms Johnston defended the lifeguard service.

“The men and women who serve as lifeguards in the Bermuda Lifeguard Service are all required to undergo training and pass tests in lifeguard qualifications, Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, the use of an Automatic External Defibrillator, administration of oxygen and first aid before they can serve as a lifeguard in Bermuda,” she wrote. “What happened at John Smith’s Bay on Wednesday, July 11 was an unfortunate incident that took a very serious turn. There was nothing indicating the gentleman having any significant problems when the initial report of a complaint of a leg cramp was made. The gentleman was on the beach at the time his situation changed. Nobody could have predicted the final outcome. The lifeguards are all fully trained and responded appropriately to the information given and what they found upon arrival on scene.”