of the US in an effort to promote membership, broadening interest to help move the organization toward a true national base. Honors Burnside was a recipient of the Australian Bronze Medallion, the Canadian and Royal Lifesaving Instructors Certificate, the New Zealand Instructors Certification, and the American Red Cross Instructors Certification for first aid and water safety. He has been certified by the United States Coast Guard as a rescue Boat operator. He was part of the first certified Los Angeles County Diving Scuba instructors and a longtime member of the department's Underwater Recovery Unit. This unit was called the USSU (Underwater & Rescue Unit), which was the first such team in the west. In 1990, he became grand champion of the World Body Surfing Championships. He is the 2014 recipient of the 2014 Paragon Awards for Water Safety given by the International Swimming Hall of Fame. References External links Bob Burnside Blog https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/205397657/robert-mackenzie-burnside 2019 deaths People from Los Angeles People from Key West, Florida American surfers 1932 births