A teenage lifeguard saved a four-year-old from drowning just 20 minutes into his first shift.
Jack Viglianco, 15, was watching over the Charles A. Foster pool in Lakewood, Ohio, when he saw the youngster in distress.
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The teen added that although the boy was able to wave his arms for help, his recent training taught him that he needed respond immediately.
Jack told Fox8 News: "I heard 'help, argh', and I looked over and I saw a guy who's probably 3ft 6in, in the 4ft water and gasping for air.
"Active drowners can still breathe, and they're still above water, but they are still in the act of drowning.
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"I was realising that I just saved a kid's life and that is something not many other people can say."
Credit: Fox8
Matt Demaline, the centre's acquatics manager, said: "Jack activated our emergency response plan. He got down off the chair and jumped in and helped the kid to safety.
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"He had just completed a five-hour orientation the day before for all of our new and returning staff and we were ready to go, day one."
Staff said that it serves as a timely reminder to parents and guardians about safety at the pool, knowing that things can take a turn for the worst in the blink of an eye.
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"Never let them out of your sight," said Eileen McCray, a grandmother at the pool. "That's what I do with her [granddaughter], no matter where we're at or where we go, she can't go where I can't see her."
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At Lakewood's two pools, there have been 42 lifesaving efforts over the last two years. All the victims were saved, thanks to the vigilant lifeguards on duty.
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Just last week, a four-year-old from Texas died in a rare case of 'dry drowning'.
Frankie Delgado went swimming in a dyke but soon started showing signs of an upset stomach - vomiting and diarrhoea - with doctors later telling the family that he had fluid in his lungs.
Dry drowning is incredibly rare, and only accounts for one to two percent of the number of drownings in the US.
Other symptoms include coughing, chest pain, trouble breathing and feeling extremely tired.
Source: Fox8 News