Two lifeguards in Newark are being called heroes after they saved a teenager's life at a city pool, according to Eyewitness News ABC7NY. Their quick response turned a frightening emergency into a rescue that the boy's community is now celebrating.
The incident happened just before 10 a.m. at the pool at St. Peter's Park Recreation Center. A 13-year-old boy, who is nonverbal and has autism, had a seizure while he was in the water, and the lifeguards on duty immediately sprang into action.
The situation they found was dire. "When we first got to him, he was unresponsive," one of the lifeguards said. "He did not have a pulse and was not breathing." The pair began working on the boy without delay, starting life-saving measures at the poolside.
Their efforts brought him back. "After five cycles of chest compressions and ventilations, he gasped for air, and we placed him into recovery position until EMS arrived on the scene," the lifeguard said, describing how they kept him stable until paramedics could take over.
The lifeguards themselves played down the praise. "I don't think it was necessarily heroic," one said. "I think it was just what we had to do. It's the job. We quite literally signed up for it." The boy was taken to the hospital alert and breathing.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka released a statement that said, in part, that thanks to the immediate response of two of the city's lifeguards who sprang into action, the boy received prompt care and is now safe. He added that the city was incredibly proud of their training and professionalism.