WA firefighter facing long road to recovery after shark attack
A fisheries officer scans the coast off Glenfield Beach for sharks after Monday's attack. (ABC Midwest & Wheatbelt: Chris Lewis)
In short:
A Geraldton firefighter remains in a serious but stable condition after he was bitten by a shark while surfing at Glenfield beach.
Mel Ismail's family members have thanked the community for its support, while asking that their privacy be respected.
What's next?
A Geraldton Health Campus spokesperson says Mr Ismail's injuries are serious and he faces a long recovery.
The family of a West Australian firefighter attacked by a shark off the state's Midwest coast has thanked the community for its support.
Mel Ismail was surfing at Glenfield Beach on Monday morning when he was bitten by a shark.
He was helped to shore and taken to Geraldton Health Campus, where he remains in a serious but stable condition.
Fisheries officers have taken the damaged board for testing to determine the species of shark. (ABC Midwest & Wheatbelt: Chris Lewis)
In a statement, his family members expressed thanks for help from the community, while requesting their privacy be respected.
"We are incredibly grateful for the support and kindness shown by the Geraldton community and to the hospital team caring for our loved one," it reads.
"Our focus right now is on them and supporting one another as a family."
Mel Ismail faces a long recovery. (Supplied: Facebook)
Glenfield Beach remains closed today, with a fisheries officer scanning the water from the top of a sand dune.
A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) spokesperson said water and drone patrols had been conducted yesterday, with vehicle patrols along the coast set to continue today.
Testing of Mr Ismail's surfboard to identify the species of shark that attacked him is still underway.
Long recovery
Geraldton Health Campus spokesperson Mary Pinder said Mr Ismail faced a long recovery given the seriousness of his injuries.
Dr Pinder said he was one of the first patients to be cared for by the hospital's new intensive care/high dependency unit.
Mel Ismail is one of the first patients to be cared for in the new unit. (Supplied: WA government)
"He is in very good hands, receiving specialist care from an experienced multidisciplinary team with the capability and expertise to manage complex and critically unwell patients locally," Dr Pinder said.
"The redevelopment has significantly strengthened the level of critical care we can provide in Geraldton, meaning patients who would previously have required transfer can now remain on country closer to home and family, where clinically appropriate."
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