A former Westpac Rescue Helicopter doctor says today’s shark attack involving a 12 year old victim at an eastern suburbs beach in Sydney today could have been much worse.

Dr Adrian Cohen has worked in pre hospital emergency services for over 30 years and knows that this kind of attack can often mean catastrophic death.

“It was great to hear that, first responders utilised a tourniquet to try and control haemorrhage” said Dr. Cohen, “but what we’ve learned from both civilian and military experience is that not all tourniquets are the same, and quite often they’re not applied properly or tightly enough to do the job properly”.

A new Smart Tourniquet, the invention of an Israeli Defence Force Trauma surgeon, has just been launched in Australia.

The TAK710 Smart Tourniquet is a battery operated, computer-chipped, automatic tourniquet that requires less than 15 seconds to apply, and inflates above the patient’s blood pressure, which it monitors via sensor. No more guesswork, no loosening, no failures.

“This can literally mean the difference between a successful outcome and a tragedy”.

The TAK710 Smart Tourniquet is registered for use in Australia and costs around $300.

Dr. Cohen recommends every ambulance, lifeguard, surfer, soldier and first responder have one as part of their equipment. He added that rescuers at the recent Bondi terrorist attack would almost certainly have benefitted from a device like the TAK710

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An experienced emergency doctor has warned that today’s shark attack involving a 12-year-old at a Sydney eastern suburbs beach highlights a critical gap in frontline trauma response — and says new smart technology could dramatically improve survival in catastrophic bleeding emergencies.

Former Westpac Rescue Helicopter doctor Dr Adrian Cohen, who has spent more than 30 years in pre-hospital emergency medicine, said the outcome of incidents like today’s attack often hinges on the first minutes of bleeding control.

“In many cases, injuries like this are unsurvivable without immediate, effective haemorrhage control,” Dr Cohen said.

“It was encouraging to hear that first responders used a tourniquet — but not all tourniquets are equal, and many fail because they’re not applied correctly or tightly enough.”

Dr Cohen said both civilian trauma data and modern battlefield medicine show that manual tourniquets are frequently under-tightened, loosen during movement, or are applied too late to stop arterial bleeding.

That risk, he said, is now being addressed by a newly launched Smart Tourniquet, developed by an Israeli Defence Force trauma surgeon and recently introduced to Australia.

The TAK710 Smart Tourniquet is a battery-powered, computer-controlled device that automatically inflates above a patient’s blood pressure using onboard sensors. It can be applied in under 15 seconds, eliminating guesswork and reducing human error.

“There’s no tightening by feel, no risk of loosening, and no uncertainty about whether bleeding is actually controlled,” Dr Cohen said. “In severe limb trauma — including shark attacks — this can literally be the difference between life and death.”

The device is registered for use in Australia and retails for approximately $300.

Dr Cohen said the technology has clear relevance well beyond marine incidents, noting that mass-casualty events, road trauma, industrial accidents, military applications and terrorist attacks all share the same leading preventable cause of death: uncontrolled bleeding.

“Looking back, responders at the Bondi terrorist attack would almost certainly have benefitted from a device like this,” he said.

He is calling for smart tourniquets to become standard equipment for ambulances, surf lifesaving services, lifeguards, defence personnel, and high-risk recreational users such as surfers and divers.

“We teach people how to swim between the flags,” Dr Cohen said.
“We should be just as serious about giving first responders the tools that actually stop people bleeding to death.”

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I have spent more than thirty years in pre-hospital and retrieval medicine. I have held people in the back of helicopters while they bled. I know what a properly applied tourniquet looks like when it works, and when it doesn’t. That knowledge is why I brought the TAK710 to Australia.

The honest problem with what we currently use

Uncontrolled bleeding from limb injuries is the leading preventable cause of death in trauma. The tourniquets most commonly deployed today, by paramedics, lifeguards, soldiers, and bystanders ,share limitations that are well known but rarely spoken about plainly. They are difficult to apply correctly under stress. They require two hands, or a second person. They loosen. They give no feedback about whether they are actually working. A rescuer can do everything right and still not stop the bleeding. That gap is real, and it costs lives.

 A child in the water

On 18 January 2026, a 12-year-old was attacked by a shark at a Sydney beach. First responders used a tourniquet. They did everything they could. Two days later, the child died.

I am not writing this to apportion blame: those responders acted with courage and care. But that child’s death is exactly the kind of loss that forces the question: did the tools we had give this child the best possible chance? I have carried questions like this for thirty years. It doesn’t get easier.

 What is different about the TAK710

The TAK710 was developed by an Israeli Defence Force trauma surgeon, used extensively in conflict environments, and is FDA-cleared, CE-marked, and registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.

One button. The device automatically tightens to above the patient’s blood pressure, reaches occlusion in under 20 seconds, and holds for up to six hours.

One hand. Works in the dark, in wet conditions. Confirms it is working. Does not loosen. Requires no prior training ,and no composure that is almost impossible to maintain when someone you love is bleeding in front of you.

 Who should have one

Every ambulance, surf lifesaving service, lifeguard tower, military unit, police and fire service, and industrial first aid kit. And anyone who spends time in the ocean, remote areas, or anywhere far from immediate help. We already accept that people carry defibrillators and EpiPens. The logic is no different.

Why I did this

Catastrophic bleeding is survivable. The difference between survival and death is often measured in seconds and in the reliability of a single piece of equipment. We teach children to swim between the flags. We put defibrillators in shopping centres. When better tools exist, we have a responsibility to make them available. That is all this is.

Dr Adrian Cohen

Former Chief Medical Officer, Sydney Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service  |  Pre-hospital and Retrieval Medicine Specialist

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