Coast Guard saves 2-year-old child who fell from vessel in Chicago

Seaman Amanda Wolf, a boat crew member from Coast Guard Station Wilmette Harbor in Chicago, Illinois, performs CPR on a child aboard a vessel in Lake Michigan, July 21, 2016. Wolf successfully resuscitated the girl while in transit to Navy Pier. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

Seaman Amanda Wolf, a boat crew member from Coast Guard Station Wilmette Harbor in Chicago, Illinois, performs CPR on a child aboard a vessel in Lake Michigan, July 21, 2016. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

CHICAGO — Crew members from Coast Guard Station Wilmette Harbor in Chicago saved the life of a 2-year-old girl after responding to a notification that she had fallen off of a vessel and into the water near Navy Pier Thursday afternoon.

The girl was recovered from the water and was on board the vessel when the Coast Guard boat crew arrived on scene, but was unresponsive. The girl’s parents report she was wearing a life jacket when she fell off the vessel.

Coast Guard Seaman Amanda Wolf, a crew member from Station Wilmette Harbor, went aboard the vessel and used her EMT training to assess the condition of the child. She quickly began performing chest compressions and CPR on the child while the vessel made its way back to Navy Pier.

Because of her training and fast action, Wolf was able to resuscitate the child and had her fully responsive by the time the vessel made it back to Navy Pier.

Once at Navy Pier, the vessel was met by EMTs from the Chicago Fire Department. The child was then transferred to a local hospital for observation.

“I am extremely proud of Seaman Wolf and the crew from Station Wilmette Harbor,” said CDR Leanne Lusk, chief of response at Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan. “Our partnerships with local agencies, such as Chicago Fire Department, and interagency training for emergencies were critical in saving the life of this little girl.”


If you have any problems viewing this article, please report it here.