Three teenagers have been praised after rescuing a troubled five-year-old boy in a swimming pool in west Sydney.
9th graders Harry Bibrack, Tobin Smith and Thomas Hall were celebrating Smith’s 15th birthday on Thursday at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Center when they saw the little boy face down near the whirlpool.
“I touched him, no answer, I grabbed him and water came out of his mouth,” Hall said.
These three teenagers helped save a five-year-old boy from drowning. (9 News)
“My first reaction was to look for a lifeguard.”
The teenagers pulled the boy out of the water and then hurried to seek help.
“I approached this woman and said, ‘Do you have a phone?’ and it was like “yes,” and it froze as if I couldn’t speak, ”Smith said.
Thomas Hall pulled the boy out of the water. (9 News)
“So I picked up the phone and dialed the triple zero.”
An out-of-service paramedic began performing CPR and revived the boy before he was taken to Westmead Children’s Hospital, where he remained in critical condition on Friday.
“Spectators did a wonderful job getting the child out of the water and starting CPR,” said Giles Buchannan of NSW Ambulance.
The five-year-old was rushed to hospital in critical condition. (9 News)
“It’s absolutely vital to our role to trust the public to get there soon.”
The three teenagers were incredulous at having helped save the child, and next week they will bring the story to school.
“Not a lot of people live it, you just see it in the news, but you actually grabbed the boy, saw him, saved him,” Smith said.
Tobin Smith was quick to get someone to call Triple Zero for the boy. (9 News)
“They (our friends) don’t believe us, they don’t believe us at all, so when they see the news we hope to be able to prove to them that they are wrong,” the boys said.
Safe Work NSW has begun an investigation into the incident and part of its report will analyze the actions of staff, including lifeguards on duty at the time.