CAMBRIDGE Quick action by Cambridge City Pool Manager J.R. Fox and Lifeguard Karlee Bruns saved the life of a drowning boy Thursday afternoon shortly before 2 p.m.
“I noticed the boy floating face down in the water,” Bruns said. “Something just didn’t seem right. He wasn’t blowing bubbles or anything.”
That’s when she jumped into the pool and pulled the 4-year-old boy from the water. Fox was right there and immediately began performing CPR and compressions on the boy, who was not breathing and already had turned blue. A nurse who was at the pool for a leisure day also immediately sprang into action as well, assisting Fox with CPR on the child. Within minutes, the youngster started coughing water out his mouth to clear his lungs.
Three Cambridge Police units were the first emergency responders to arrive on the scene and quickly put the child inside one of their vehicles to transport him to Southeastern Med for additional treatment.
The pool itself was cleared of people during the ordeal. It was reported some people were screaming and crying as they watched the incident unfolding.
“This is when all the years of training pay off,” Fox said. He was emotional as he talked with his crew of lifeguards and praised them for their professionalism during the emergency.
Cambridge Fire Department and United Ambulance also were quick to respond to the scene.