Public Employee Press


Everyday Heroes
Lifeguards save elderly man

"Every day when we come to work, we have to be prepared for anything."

By JOSEPH LOPEZ

THE SCORCHING-HOT sun that has been a staple over New York City skies during this year's heatwave heavy summer has had many residents flocking to local beaches for a little fun and relief. The uptick of people cooling off in the water has also meant more potential drowning situations, keeping the lifeguards and supervisors of Locals 461 and 508 on high alert.

On the morning of July 18, Lifeguards Sharon Greaves and Andrey Povroznik sprang into action at Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn when a 76-year-old man's dip in the ocean turned into a matter of life-or-death. The two lifeguards pulled the elderly individual out of the waters that had overtaken him and brought him to land, where they began CPR procedures.

"He had no pulse," said Greaves, a 28 year veteran. Using lifesaving techniques, they were able to revive his pulse before EMTs arrived at the scene.

The senior citizen survived thanks to Greaves and Povroznik's quick reaction to the event.

"We've had a few serious cases that required CPR this year," said Povroznik, who has been on the job for 15 years. "There have been lots of older people at the beach this season with the heat, and many of them already have health problems like heart issues that can be aggravated by the conditions," he pointed out.

"Every day when we come to work, we have to be prepared for anything," Greaves said. "Saving lives is part of our job. It's what we're put here for. It's what we do," she said.