Blake Student Lifeguard: Camilla’s Summer Save

Summertime is the perfect opportunity for our creative, adventurous Bengals to explore their hobbies, pursue their passions, work, and travel. Social Studies teacher Ms. Staub hiked the Appalachian Trail, Athletic Trainer Ms. Julie worked for the USA Women’s Rugby Collegiate Team, Senior Benji Wilson committed to playing Division 1 football, Senior Baba Oladotun attended Steph Curry’s Basketball Camp, and one student saved a life.

Like many students, sophomore Camilla Grasso wanted a summer job, so she turned to lifeguarding at Robin Hood Swim Club. Though underpaid, she recommends the position for students starting their job search because “It’s just so easy,” and you “go into work and you’re friends with your coworkers, and there’s not much pressure.” Camilla also mentioned that the training process involves Holy Cross, where lifeguards are trained on how to conduct CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, and other swimming safety precautions. She noted that though the process is easy, it does take a while. Nevertheless, “at the end of the day, it’s worth it, and you have to focus because you are learning how to save somebody’s life. Someone’s life is in your hands,” she declared.

All of that training paid off for Camilla, as this summer she had to step in and save a young boy. While stationed by the pool during a swim lesson, Camilla didn’t expect it to go wrong because the swim coach was one of her friends. She commented that since it was a swim lesson, she’d “think the little boy could swim, and if he couldn’t,” her friend would be there for him. On the lookout, Camilla was watching the pool and saw some commotion over where the lesson was.

The other children, who were a part of the lesson, were sitting by the wall, while Camilla’s friend, the instructor, started struggling with the young boy in the deep end. The pool’s deepest end is ten feet deep. Every time she would try to lift him and put him back on the edge, the child would defiantly kick the swim coach, so she was having trouble. She then called for Camilla, and Camilla got down from her chair and ran over to where they were. She stuck a lifeguard tube out to the boy, but he wouldn’t grab it. Camilla thinks the boy thought he could save himself and didn’t want to be embarrassed. She then jumped in to try and help the child, but he started kicking her in the face.

Disaster struck as the boy slipped under the surface and swallowed water during the process. Camilla tried to hold on to the tube the entire time, but it became difficult because the boy was pushing away, and she said it was tough handling that while treading water. Camilla was finally able to get a hold of him and placed him by the edge of the pool. The child was coughing up water, and Camilla stated, “I had to sit there, and pat his back, and he couldn’t breathe, so I went around him and started doing the Heimlich, to see if I could get more water out.” The boy finally coughed up the rest of the water and threw up as well. Camilla assured that it was fine afterwards. She just had to fill out paperwork about what happened, who was there, how the boy is doing now, and the reason the situation happened.

The grandmother of the boy was on the other side of the pool, and Camilla knew about the kid and his family, and the child usually doesn’t listen to instructions. His grandmother has a hard time and wasn’t really paying attention, but after Camilla explained to her what had happened, she realized the extent of the situation.

When asked if she felt prepared or nervous during the situation, Camilla recounted that “in the moment, you don’t really think about if you’re prepared or not.” She said it’s all about thinking of the best thing to do to help. Camilla mentioned that her pool isn’t very chaotic. “Every family’s the same that comes every day,” and she knows “everyone on the swim team, and most people know how to swim,” so there are not many saves that go on. She claimed that a save happens between four and five times a month, or even less than that. Camilla noted that “you’re not really prepared for anything big,” but when it does occur, it shows that “anything can happen, no matter what you’re expecting.”

What Camilla took away from this experience is that no matter how much she knows about the pool’s visitors, or if they can swim, or if she’s observing a structured activity like a swim lesson, she has to “expect the unexpected.”

Camilla revealed that she’s usually pretty unserious and likes to laugh and talk a lot. But she said that “when it comes to certain situations where I feel the world is watching me, and I literally have somebody’s life in my hands,” she has to figure out what to do, and becomes the most serious she’s ever been.

Camilla wants to encourage other students to get a job, and believes it’s relatively simple, and makes you feel good about yourself when you’re helping others, while also making money. The Blake Beat commends Camilla for her bravery and courage as a lifeguard and appreciates the exceptional interview.