Last month, four City of Salisbury lifeguards on duty gave medical attention to a three-year-old toddler. As the family parked their car, their child was having a seizure reaction due to overheating and other underlying health issues. The parents rushed the unconscious child into the pool entryway. In this moment of high stress, the lifeguards called 9-1-1, had the parent lay the child on the padded floor of the pool deck, and administered medical attention until paramedics arrived.
The lifeguards quickly grabbed an ice pack from their First Aid kit focusing on the child’s forehead and abdomen while elevating his head to bring his temperature down and prevent choking. The paramedics arrived quickly, roughly five minutes after the lifeguards called, and they whisked the toddler to the hospital.
“Kudos to head guards Sierra Braun and Malakie Harris, and lifeguards Lucie Featherstone and Lucas Berg who quickly acted as they have been trained to do,” said Megan Simpson, recreation coordinator and certified pool operator & lifeguard supervisor.
“Nationwide the aquatics industry has struggled to staff lifeguards at their pool. Luckily, the staff we have show up every day ready to work and they do it exceeding all expectations. Imagine, for a moment, if we were closed because we didn’t have adequate staff and the family didn’t know that because they were coming in from out of town. Fortunately, our staff was there and able to give this child the medical attention they needed and at the moment they needed it most.”
It has been reported to the City of Salisbury that the child received the medical care he needed and will be okay.