Emergency crews were called to Port Kembla Beach this afternoon after a man in his 50s suffered a suspected spinal injury.
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It is understood he was in the ocean when the incident happened.
He was stretchered off the beach and taken to Wollongong Hospital in a stable condition.
Lifeguards across the Illawarra have been kept busy today with packed beaches as people enjoy the summer weather.
Adrian Walsh, duty lifeguard at Port Kembla Beach said: "[The man] had come down a wave and hit his head, so they treated it as a suspected spinal. He's got a grazed forehead, headache, so just to be safe that's why the ambos are here."
"There's an inherent risk going in the surf no matter what," he added. "Be mindful of what the waves are doing so if they are dumping try not to go head first, try to put your hands out when you're swimming to save yourself a bit and just go within your abilities.
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