Alert Lifeguards Recue Woman From Drowning At North Arundel Aquatic Center

When undergoing training with the Red Cross, aspiring lifeguards learn that the process of drowning begins when water enters a person’s airway. They learn that involuntary breath-holding and a sudden closure of the larynx or windpipe prevents air from reaching the lungs. They learn that brain damage or death could occur in as little as four to six minutes.

On January 22, that knowledge was put into focus when a woman at the North Arundel Aquatic Center in Glen Burnie was having a seizure in the pool. During their shifts, lifeguards rotate between the leisure pool, whirlpool and lap pool, and they were in transition when the incident occurred.

Northeast High student Jake Ellencamp, who dove in first, said the woman was “face down at the surface of the water.”

Autumn Allen is a senior at Old Mill High School, a member of her school’s National Honor Society, captain of the varsity swim team and a water safety instructor at Indian Landing Boat Club in Millersville. Now in her third year of lifeguarding, she also has experience.

“I saw my boss, Trevor, call 911 … so I jumped in and swam over to help Jake,” Allen said. “The backboard was already in, so we pulled [the woman] out of the pool.”

Back in November, Allen was lifeguarding when a boy momentarily disappeared under the surface of the water in the whirlpool. She had seen how the team at North Arundel Aquatic Center could work together during a crisis.

On this January Monday, Allen filled out an incident report. Desi Denison dialed 911. Facility manager Brittany Jackson and Trevor Siegert stood by with a first aid bag. Billy Allison and Kacey Abernathy also assisted in the effort.

“Her aid was yelling, and I just let the training kick in,” said Ellencamp. “Everything went as it was supposed to. The paramedics were there in a matter of moments.”

Jacque Hurman, chief of recreation services for the county’s Department of Recreation and Parks, said paramedics arrived in 10 minutes. She was highly complimentary of the lifeguards.

“In lifeguarding, you have to have everybody working as a team,” Hurman said. “And not only do they have to have the skills, but they also have to be able to communicate.”

For their efforts, the lifeguards were given GOTCHA! awards on February 12. Days after the ceremony, Hurman emphasized the importance of training. Each lifeguard has to take a lifeguarding course through the Red Cross or another qualified organization, be CPR certified and have a lifeguard license from the Anne Arundel County Department of Health.

“In the lifeguarding industry, we train and practice our skills on a weekly and monthly basis to make sure they’re prepared to react,” Hurman said.

The aquatic center asked for the woman’s identity to be kept private. Although the woman was too disoriented to say anything after the rescue, Allen knows she was grateful.

“Sometimes the trainings are very chaotic. This ran smoothly,” Allen said. “She was lucky she had us on staff, and we were lucky to be there to help her.

“There are great people who work [at the aquatic center],” Allen added. “Getting to help people, you get to feel significant.”