'Scouting changed my life for the better': Eagle Scouts save swimmer after suffering heart attack

The training of Eagle Scouts and lifeguards kicked into action when a man stopped swimming and sank below the surface.

The training of Eagle Scouts and lifeguards kicked into action when a man stopped swimming and sank below the surface.

THIS INCREDIBLE STORY. IT HAPPENED HERE ON JOHN BARR LAKE AT CAMP CROOKED CREEK IN BULLITT COUNTY. AND THIS TEAM BEHIND ME SPRUNG INTO ACTION IMMEDIATE EARLY. IT WAS A FAIRLY NORMAL DAY, SO WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF LIFEGUARD TRAINING. IT WAS JUNE THE 5TH, AND THE INCOMING LIFEGUARD STAFF AND SOME ADULT VOLUNTEERS AT CAMP CROOKED CREEK WERE FINISHING A SWIMMING TEST. ME AND A COUPLE OF LIFEGUARDS NOTICED THAT BRUCE WAS SLOWING DOWN TOWARDS THE END. HE THEN GOES INTO THE DEAD MAN’S FLOAT AS IT’S COMING. SO YOU GO LIKE THIS FACING THE WATER AND AS I NOTICED THAT I’M TRYING TO CONTACT HIM. I JUMP IN USING A LIFEGUARD TUBE. MICHAEL TODD PULLED THE DROWNING MAN TO THE SURFACE. OTHER STAFF JOINED IN THE EFFORT. THE TRAINING KIND OF PREPARED ME FOR IT. AND I FEEL LIKE I WASN’T REALLY RACING, BUT MORE OF JUST DOING WHAT I WAS TAUGHT. THEY PULLED THE VICTIM ONTO THE DOCK. I HAD JUST HAD MY MOST RECENT BLS TRAINING AND EVERYTHING, AND THAT WAS FRESH IN MY MIND. I WAS, YOU KNOW, INITIAL ASSESSMENT CHECKED FOR BREATH SOUNDS, CHECK FOR BREATHING, CHECK FOR PULSE. WE FOUND NEITHER OF THOSE. AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED CPR. THEY ADMINISTERED CPR FOR 30 MINUTES. I WAS THE MAIN PERSON ON COMPRESSIONS. I DID THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME UNTIL THE AED ARRIVED. AND THEN WHEN THE AID ARRIVED, WE DID ONE MORE SET OF COMPRESSIONS. AFTER THAT, AND THEN HE CAME BACK AND STARTED BREATHING AGAIN. BRUCE OTTO IS NOW RECOVERING FROM HIS HEART ATTACK AT THE HART HOSPITAL AT U OF L HEALTH. I’M NOT SURE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE HAS WORDS FOR THE DEPTH OF GRATITUDE THAT A HEART AND SOUL HAVE. IT’S JUST VERY EMOTIONAL. HOW DO YOU THINK PEOPLE FOR THAT, ALL FOUR OF THESE LIFEGUARDS ARE EAGLE SCOUTS, THE HIGHEST RANK IN SCOUTING? SCOUTING CHANGED MY LIFE FOR THE BETTER. AND ALSO, I THINK YOU KNOW THE MOTTO, BE PREPARED. I’VE NEVER FELT MORE PREPARED WITH SCOUTING. THEY’LL CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER OTHE

'Scouting changed my life for the better': Eagle Scouts save swimmer after suffering heart attack

The training of Eagle Scouts and lifeguards kicked into action when a man stopped swimming and sank below the surface.

A Louisville, Kentucky, man is recovering after suffering a heart attack while swimming at the lake at Camp Crooked Creek, a Scouts BSA property in Bullitt County.The rescue effort included four Eagle Scouts and others working as lifeguards at the summer camp."It was training and having this phenomenal team with me," Cleis Newell, assistant aquatics director at Camp Crooked Creek, said. "Everyone was on their toes, knew exactly what they needed to do. We worked so well together as a team, everyone jumped in to help."The incident happened on June 5 at John Barr Lake on the camp property, where staff and volunteers were completing a 550-meter swim to earn their BSA Lifeguard certification. Bruce Otto, 73, an avid swimmer and volunteer adult Scout leader, was among those taking the test when aquatics director Michael "MJ" Todd noticed him slowing down and then floating face-down in the water. Todd immediately blew his whistle, alerting other staff, and jumped into the water. He swam nine feet down to the floor of the lake, grabbed Otto, and used a buoyant lifeguard tube to bring them both to the surface.Other staff pulled Otto onto the dock. They used an AED and administered CPR for 30 minutes before Otto began faintly breathing again and an ambulance arrived to take him to the hospital."I'm not sure the English language has words for the depths of gratitude I have," Otto said. "It's just very emotional. How do you thank people for that?"The lifeguards watch over thousands of Scouts who come to Camp Crooked Creek each summer. They also teach merit badges such as swimming, lifesaving, canoeing, and kayaking. "Scouting changed my life for the better," Todd said. "You know the (Scout) motto 'be prepared?' I've never felt more prepared with Scouting."

A Louisville, Kentucky, man is recovering after suffering a heart attack while swimming at the lake at Camp Crooked Creek, a Scouts BSA property in Bullitt County.

The rescue effort included four Eagle Scouts and others working as lifeguards at the summer camp.

"It was training and having this phenomenal team with me," Cleis Newell, assistant aquatics director at Camp Crooked Creek, said. "Everyone was on their toes, knew exactly what they needed to do. We worked so well together as a team, everyone jumped in to help."

The incident happened on June 5 at John Barr Lake on the camp property, where staff and volunteers were completing a 550-meter swim to earn their BSA Lifeguard certification.

Bruce Otto, 73, an avid swimmer and volunteer adult Scout leader, was among those taking the test when aquatics director Michael "MJ" Todd noticed him slowing down and then floating face-down in the water.

Todd immediately blew his whistle, alerting other staff, and jumped into the water. He swam nine feet down to the floor of the lake, grabbed Otto, and used a buoyant lifeguard tube to bring them both to the surface.

Other staff pulled Otto onto the dock. They used an AED and administered CPR for 30 minutes before Otto began faintly breathing again and an ambulance arrived to take him to the hospital.

"I'm not sure the English language has words for the depths of gratitude I have," Otto said. "It's just very emotional. How do you thank people for that?"

The lifeguards watch over thousands of Scouts who come to Camp Crooked Creek each summer. They also teach merit badges such as swimming, lifesaving, canoeing, and kayaking.

"Scouting changed my life for the better," Todd said. "You know the (Scout) motto 'be prepared?' I've never felt more prepared with Scouting."

'Scouting changed my life for the better': Eagle Scouts save swimmer after suffering heart attack

The training of Eagle Scouts and lifeguards kicked into action when a man stopped swimming and sank below the surface.

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