Eagan YMCA lifeguards resuscitate child after drowning scare

Amy Zeller brings her daughters Flora and Lucianne to the Eagan YMCA because there are plenty of lifeguards to help her keep an eye on her kids.

They certainly came in handy during a near drowning at the pool Monday morning.

YMCA officials say a dozen children in its childcare program were swimming in the middle of the kiddie pool with two instructors and two lifeguards when one of the lifeguards noticed a child floating face down in the water.

The lifeguards pulled the child out and performed CPR for three to five minutes, reviving the child before paramedics arrived.

The YMCA's Mike Lavin says, "Our lifeguard spotted an emergency that needed attention, and responded quickly and professionally and gave that child the best care possible."

The 2-year-old was taken to St. Paul Children's Hospital. YMCA officials says he's already back home.

Though this is the first time anything like this has happened at the Eagan location, YMCA officials say they conduct daily drills to make sure lifeguards are prepared for emergencies.

"We always want to make sure kids are safe," Lavin says. "That's our number one priority and we are so happy this child will be able to go play and learn to swim and be a normal kid going forward."

Zeller says she isn't surprised the lifeguards lived up to their names.

"It can happen anywhere you go, but I feel safe 100 percent of the time we are here," she says.