A young boy’s life was spared by virtue of the fast actions of an off-duty Chicago Police officer, officials said.
The Orland Fire Protection District said in a Facebook post that they received a 911 call at around 6 p.m on Saturday about a young boy who had reportedly drowned and was in full cardiac arrest.
The boy, thought to between 10 to 12 years old, was one of numerous guests that had gathered at a family’s backyard for a house pool party.
An ambulance and fire truck were immediately dispatched to the home, but when emergency service personnel arrived, the boy had been pulled out of the pool and was conscious and breathing.
It was later learned that one of the guests at the party—Cindy Guerra—was an off-duty Chicago Police Department Sergeant. Guerra had received emergency training before, and she pulled the drowning boy from the bottom of the pool. Guerra then proceeded to perform CPR on him, after which the boy’s breathing and circulation returned, Orland Fire said.
“I understand that Ms. Guerra was very humble and was thanking us for being there,” said Orland Fire Protection District Fire Chief Michael Schofield in a statement.
He added, “But, she is a real hero and deserves to be honored for her actions today which saved the life of a young boy. The first few minutes in any emergency situation like this are critical to saving a life and having civilians and other professionals at the scene of an emergency trained in health saving procedures will always help make a positive difference. We are all thankful for Ms Guerra.”
The boy was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
