Krepps Park lifeguards honored after saving 11-year-old’s life

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — The City of Morgantown held its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday where it recognized lifeguards for their efforts in saving an 11-year-old’s life this past June.

Those lifeguards are the ones who were on duty when 11-year-old Jackson Pauley was at the Krepps Park public pool with his mother and two siblings and experienced a seizure that caused him to nearly drown. The council commended the lifeguards for their quick lifesaving skills on the day of the incident.

“It was very busy, very, very dramatic scene, like we were all traumatized obviously, and not what we expect. But you have to be trained for those moments,” a member of the Morgantown Board of Parks and Recreation Lifeguard Team Zach Ribas said. “We’re all really happy that we were able to save Jackson’s life and that he had a good recovery and he’s out back on the ice now.”

Lifeguards at Krepps Park public pool have an emergency action plan for whenever the unexpected happens. The three lifeguards who helped Pauley said that whenever a child is drowning, a lifeguard will blow three short whistles to get every lifeguard’s attention to help.

“Honestly it was great to see him again. We got to visit him when he was in the hospital and I know that brought ease to everyone. And just seeing him back at the pool has made all the lifeguards feel a lot better,” a member of the Morgantown Board of Parks and Recreation Lifeguard Team Ava Biafore said.

Lifeguards also perform routine training to prepare for unexpected emergencies each week. Some of the things that the lifeguards look for are children who cannot swim and are in distress needing help.

Lifeguard Alyssa Guerry at Krepps Park public pool had these tips to offer to parents and caregivers. “I think that always being near your child if they can’t touch where they are swimming, always making sure that you’re getting enough rest in between, and making sure you don’t over exert yourself.”

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