Woburn Lifeguard Honored by Governor, District Attorney

As reported on Woburn Patch, on July 4, Woburn resident Joseph Ford and his fellow lifeguard Noelia Aquino, with the assistance of a visiting nurse, saved the life of a five-year-old child at a pool in Lowell. 

The pair were recently honored by Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Gov. Deval Patrick for their quick actions that saved the boy. 

"Joseph Ford, 19, of Woburn, and Noelia Aquino, 19, of Lowell are lifeguards at the Raymond Lord Memorial Pool in Lowell," a release from the district attorney states. "On the afternoon of July 4, Joseph noticed a young boy under the water in the pool.  He immediately blew his whistle and jumped into the water, pulling the boy out of the pool.  Once out of the pool, Noelia began to administer CPR.  A woman at the pool who was a nurse assisted Noelia until paramedics arrived."

Through the quick thinking actions of the two lifeguards, the young boy began breathing and regained consciousness.  He was taken to the hospital and has now fully recovered.

“I want to applaud and congratulate Joseph and Noelia for doing exactly what they were trained to do when they saw a young boy in distress in the pool,” District Attorney Ryan said. “The magnitude of what they accomplished in rescuing this child and saving his family from tragedy in breathtaking.  It reminds us all of the need for vigilance at the beach or pool this summer.”

The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office “Splash into a Safe Swim Season” campaign is a water safety initiative and partnership with local pool companies to educate the public on how to stay safe in the water.  The campaign includes printed materials distributed to Middlesex County YMCAs, hospitals, and community organizations and an informative website feature with tips and helpful statistics for parents.  This water safety initiative was developed based on the results of the Middlesex Child Fatality Review Team, which studies causes of child fatalities and deemed water safety education as a necessary tool to prevent fatalities or injuries.

In Massachusetts between 2006 and 2008, there were 31 unintentional drowning deaths of children, according to a report by the Massachusetts Child Fatality Review.

District Attorney Ryan reminds homeowners that it t takes just 20 seconds in as little as two to three inches of water for a child to drown. Landscaped water features and koi ponds are also safety hazards for children.

Here are some additional water safety tips for parents and caretakers:

• Actively supervise children at all times.

• Never leave a child alone near a pool or other body of water.

• Teach children to swim.

• Stay within arms reach of preschool-age children.

• Provide locked safety barriers for swimming area when not in use.

• Keep climbable objects away from pool barrier.

• Teach children about water safety.

• Learn CPR – use infant CPR until age 1 then child CPR until age 8.

• Be alert when visiting homes with a pool.

• Remove toys from pool after use.

• Do not rely on air-filled or foam toys. They are not designed for safety.

• Always use US Coast Guard approved life jackets when boating.

For more information on water safety, click here.