Lifeguards who saved life of 17-year-old honored at River View Park Social

Several lifeguards and first responders were honored at the River View Community Park Social on Sunday, Aug. 5 for their efforts in helping to save a swimmer in distress on July 26 at the Warsaw pool. Pictured are the lifeguards with Jordan Washington, who addressed the crowd and thanked everyone who helped save him on that day. The lifeguards were presented with a certificate, a $100 college scholarship and the thin white line lapel pins and t-shirts from Coshocton County EMS. Pictured from left are: Corey Phillips, Danielle Newman, Carolyn Cox, Jordan Washington, Caleb Fischer, Andrew Martin, Mackenzie Hudson and Lindsey Ashcraft. Mark Fortune | Beacon

WARSAW – When potential lifeguards go through intense training on how to save someone’s life in the event of a possible drowning, they hope they never have to use it. However, for several lifeguards at the River View Community Pool, all of that training came in to play on July 26 when they saved the life of Jordan Washington.

“We never thought we’d have to use the training,” said Andrew Martin, lifeguard on duty. “I’m definitely on higher alert now. I scan the pool a lot better than I did before and enforce the rules a lot more.”

Mackenzie Hudson was an off-duty lifeguard on the scene.

“We all thought that it’s never going to happen to us,” she said. “We saved a life, so I’m pretty proud.”

Before the watermelon eating contest at the River View Park Social, the lifeguards were honored for their efforts in saving the life of Washington. Martin and Hudson as well as Corey Phillips, Danielle Newman, Carolyn Cox, Caleb Fischer, and Lindsey Ashcraft were honored.

“I’m so proud of everybody who jumped into action that day and made this a happy moment for us,” said Jesse Fischer.

Mayor Ron Davis read a proclamation and Sher Alloway, Coshocton County Lifeguard and Kid’s Swim Lesson Coordinator, thanked the group for their heroic efforts.

“We definitely want to honor young leaders in the community,” she said. “Before the kids take the class, I tell them it’s a very difficult class. We can teach them the skills all day long, but we can’t teach them the mindset to step up when something like this happens and that’s what they did.”

Todd Shroyer, director of Coshocton County EMS, also spoke about that day.

“On July 26 at 4:59 p.m., the Coshocton County EMS was dispatched to the Warsaw pool with an individual who was in cardiac arrest,” said Shroyer. “All the credit for this goes to these folks. We got here, we helped, but they are the ones who saved the life of this individual. They were performing high-quality CPR which made all the difference in the patient’s life.”

Shroyer presented the lifeguards and manager with the thin white line lapel pins and t-shirts. The thin white line signifies courage and honor in the face of adversity and is in support of emergency medical services.

The kids were also awarded a $100 college scholarship from the kids swim lesson volunteers and lifeguard program.

The seven people involved will never forget that day at the pool.

“I remember looking over and seeing someone being pulled out of the water,” said Hudson. “It was all hands on deck. I started CPR and I was screaming at him to stay with me. It was teamwork all the way.”

All guards, assistant pool manager Newman, and a friend with CPR skills, Phillips, all pulled Washington out of the water, called 911, and started CPR. Thanks to the quick-thinking of the individuals, Washington was awake and responding to emergency personnel once inside of the ambulance.

After the watermelon eating contest, Washington came out on the main stage to thank his friends for what they did for him that day.

“I’d like to thank the lifeguards here for being trained and saving my life,” he said. “I’m very blessed to see all of your faces today. It puts a smile on my face.”

Photos by Mark Fortune and Sher Alloway.

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