By Brandie Gay
On a sunny afternoon at the Vandalia Family Aquatic Center, what started as a typical day of fun and relaxation quickly turned into a life-or-death situation.
A 6-year-old girl, enjoying the pool with her family, suddenly began to struggle in the water. Within moments, she was submerged and experiencing a seizure.
The lifeguards on duty, trained for such emergencies, sprang into action. Lifeguard Erin Childs, from her statement, was the first to notice the girl with her feet towards the bottom of the pool. Erin said sometimes kids with goggles do things like that, so she scanned the rest of her zone. Erin then looked back down and noticed the little girl was still in the same spot. That’s when Erin started to worry, as she focused on the girl for a couple more seconds and she saw no movement. Erin then stepped into the water and grabbed the little girl’s arm, expecting a reaction like a jerk away from a conscious child while lifting her to the surface. When there was no reaction, Erin blew her whistle to alert her colleagues and yelled for help. At this point, Erin held the little girl in her arms with her head back to open the airway.
Erin then rushed her to the side of the pool where another lifeguard Kristen Shaw was meeting Erin in the water. Erin stated as she was moving with her, water started coming out of the little girl’s mouth.
Fellow lifeguards, Kristen, Katelyn Pargeon and Erin, all lifted her out of the water. According to Kristen’s report, when Katelyn pulled the little girl out of the water her lips were blue.
When the little girl was pulled out of the water, Kristen quickly gave two rounds of 30 chest compressions while Katelyn was giving her breaths. When the trauma bag arrived, Erin helped Reeve Woodall open and start to prepare the AED.
Kristen reported after the rounds of CPR, the little girl was more aware, the lifeguards held her head and turned her to her side, draining the mucus and blood coming from her nose and proceeding to suction all the fluids out of her airway.
Kristen and Katelyn sat with the little girl comforting her as much as they could. Kristen checked her pulse which was racing when EMS arrived to take over. The two lifeguards quickly got her on the stretcher so EMS could take over.
While the lifesaving measure were happening, Manager Sophie Rost instructed the other lifeguards to clear the pool and close for the day.
The quick and efficient response of the Vandalia Family Aquatic Center lifeguards undoubtedly saved the young girl’s life. Their dedication to their training and their ability to remain composed in a crisis made all the difference.
Rost said the community of Vandalia should be incredibly proud of these local heroes, whose actions serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of water safety and the critical role lifeguards play in keeping everyone safe.
For their heroic action, the city commended the lifeguards with a framed resolution in their honor and presented it to the three lifeguards at the August Board of Aldermen Meeting held Aug. 13, 2024 at 5:30 p.m.
The girl’s family expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the lifeguards and the entire staff at the aquatic center. They are hopeful for their daughter’s full recovery and are deeply thankful for the swift and professional response that prevented a potential tragedy.
This incident highlights the importance of having well-trained lifeguards and the value of their presence at community pools. The Vandalia Family Aquatic Center continues to be a safe and enjoyable place for families, thanks to the dedication and bravery of its lifeguard team.