Three teens honored by fire department for helping unresponsive man

RIGBY — Firefighters honored three teens this week after they helped rescue an unresponsive 61-year-old man at Heise Hot Springs.

At a Central Fire Commissioner meeting Thursday night, Levi Ohran, 18, Brodie Wolfley, 17, and Taytum Jensen, 15, were recognized by Central Fire District Chief Carl Anderson.

All three of them work as lifeguards at Heise Hot Springs.

Anderson said on March 11, there was a 911 call for a man at Heise Hot Springs who was not breathing and did not have a pulse.

“So we start en route…the things that go through our minds as EMTs and medics, is getting that person to a safe place and getting them out of danger…and starting CPR,” Anderson said.

Levi remembers that day well and said he had not experienced something quite like it before.

“I’ve had this go through my head multiple times, of the possibility. You never think it’s going to happen. My mind was pretty prepared for it,” Levi said. “I was terrified but my mind just went into autopilot, and I just knew this is what I had to do. Emotions could come later.”

He currently works as a head lifeguard. He was on break and suddenly heard a whistle.

“The lifeguard that was on duty, he jumped in (the hot pool) and I immediately ran over, and I grabbed the backboard. We cleared the entire pool. We do the extrication and get him out of the water,” Levi recalls.

He said the man was unresponsive. They pulled him out of the water on the backboard.

“After checking for a pulse and breathing … we didn’t feel or see anything, then another lifeguard was right behind,” he said.

A bag valve mask and AED were set up to do effective CPR.

“We just kept going until the paramedics and EMS could switch us out,” Levi said.

Rachel Thorpe, a firefighter and EMT with Central Fire District, was on scene that day. She said she was impressed to walk through the doors at Heise Hot Springs.

“I know that most of their employees are under the age of 18. They are kids. I walked through the door, and they had the situation completely under control,” she said. “They had done everything right. They had gone above and beyond. They were doing perfect chest compressions, better than I’ve seen seasoned veterans do. They were not panicked, they were not stressed out. They were just doing their job.”

Levi, Brodie and Taytum’s efforts gave the man a chance to survive.

“So upon arrival to the hospital, he had a pulse, and we really attribute that to the great care that was performed quickly and very efficiently by you guys,” said Shanda Foster, a firefighter, EMT and paramedic with Central Fire District.

The man was transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. Several hours later, he passed away at the hospital due to medical conditions, Anderson said.

However, each of the teens showed courage and strength and used the training they had learned.

“I just want to say my lifeguard instructor — Larry Owens — is just super professional and amazing when it comes to training us, and my boss and the owner of Heise Hot Springs makes sure his whole team is trained,” Levi said.

Levi, Brodie and Taytum were each presented with a challenge coin, candy and a soda drink gift card, along with a personalized letter from the hospital. EIRMC presented a gift with a dry bag and a backcountry chair.

You can watch them receive awards and acknowledgment in the video player above.

Additionally, each one was given a plaque with their name on it. Each plaque says, “Central Fire District Certificate of Acknowledgment. Doing your duty as a lifeguard and your willingness to perform CPR.”

Levi said he was glad he was there to help that day.

“I know all my lifeguards are capable. It was a whole team effort,” he said.