Paramedic couple help lifeguards save child at pool
A team of husband-and-wife -paramedics, who were out for a pool day with their twin four-yearold boys, were instrumental in saving the life of another boy who had run into trouble in the water.
The incident, involving a fiveyear-old, happened about 2 p.m. on Jan. 27 at the Westhills YMCAYWCA and Langford Aquatic Centre.
“We were there just to use the waterslide and have a nice afternoon,” said Kyle Klint. “We were at the top of the waterslide and we heard a whistle blow. I recognized from years past when I was lifeguard, you don’t blow the whistle unless it’s a serious incident happening.”
He and his wife, Karlie Wilson, saw a commotion in the area of the wave pool.
“We looked over and we saw the lifeguard doing an amazing job of extricating the little person out of the water,” Klint said. “We could see him bringing the boy to the side of the pool.”
“He was pretty much lifeless, very pale in colour.”
Klint said his wife got to the scene ahead of him.
She helped the lifeguards as they started CPR, then took over, Klint said.
“I got to her to help and the lifeguards assisted us with the resuscitation,” he said. “We were there right until the advanced life-support crew form B.C. Ambulance arrived.
“When they arrived we passed off care, and the boy was awake and crying, and sitting up with mom at that point.”
The parents were understandably “completely overwhelmed” at everything that happened, Klint said. “Things happened very, very fast.”
Klint, an advanced lifesupport paramedic himself, praised the lifeguards and said they were well-prepared for the situation.
‘We identified ourselves early in the rescue, our levels of training, so they let us jump in there and help,” he said
“Between us and the lifeguards it was definitely a team approach.”
Klint said he and Wilson were happy to contribute to the rescue.
“It’s just one of those things, both of us being paramedics, you really don’t ever turn it off and you’re always available if something’s happening.”