A Mandurah man whose brother was killed by a shark off Falcon is set to import surfboard leg ropes that could save peoples' lives in the event of a shark attack.
Rick Gerring will soon have access to the US surfboard strap that features an inbuilt ratchet.
He claims it will stem 100 per cent of blood flow in the water, something a regular surfboard strap would not do.
Mr Gerring said the straps would help shark attack victims, given it could take less than 90 seconds to bleed to death in the water after being bitten.
“Unfortunately, if it’s not that shark that kills you, it’s the blood loss that kills you,” he told The West Australian.
“Generally a lot of people bring the person in to shore and try to apply tourniquets then, and then it’s probably too late.”
Mr Gerring's brother Ben was killed by a suspected great white shark while surfing off Falcon last year.
He believes Ben may have survived the attack had his surfboard been fitted with a tourniquet strap.
The keen surfer expects the new surf straps will be available for purchase in surf, diving and camp shops in the coming weeks.
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