He had completed a swimming test when he suffered a heart attack
BELIZE CITY, Fri. July 26, 2019– Brigel Teck, 31, a father of two from Libertad in the Corozal District, died while trying his best to join the ranks of the Belize Coast Guard. He and others aspiring to join the Coast Guard had just undertaken a 200-yard swimming test that is a primary requirement for those who wish to join the unit, when he suffered cramps.
Deputy Coast Guard Commandant Elton Bennett said that Teck had just completed the first entry test, which was the 200-yard swimming test and was walking towards the ambulance when he collapsed and the paramedics who were at the scene immediately rushed to help him and immediately administered Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to him. He was then rushed by ambulance to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH). On the way to the hospital, the paramedics were trying to resuscitate him, but the effort was in vain; he was declared dead at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.
Deputy Commandant Bennett said that the first group of 30 applicants was quickly whittled down to two persons due to attrition. Another group of 30 (out of about 300) applicants who were called and were waiting outside the gate of the Coast Guard headquarters, were called in to take the written and the swimming test, and Teck went in along with the second group to undergo the assessment.
Bennett said that the recruiting poster had indicated that applicants must be physically and medically fit. Medical assessments are usually not done until after applicants pass the mandatory swimming test.
Bennett said that it would not be practical to conduct medical assessments on all applicants. Instead, such examinations are conducted only on those who passed the initial test. The Coast Guard is reviewing their protocols, but so far, nothing was found wrong with the procedures.
According to Bennett, Teck did not complain of any medical problems, and he went for the swimming test, but he had not reached the medical screening stage.
A post-mortem exam is scheduled to ascertain the cause of Teck’s death.
Teck’s family said that he was not suffering from any medical condition, and that he was always active and was fit. They said that it was his dream to be a member of the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard extends sincere condolences to the family of Brigel Teck.