Off-duty paramedic part of group that helped save girl at Great Escape waterpark

Woman part of group that helps save girl

We're hearing from one of the people who suddenly found themselves saving a life Saturday.

An off-duty paramedic was part of a group of responders who jumped in to save a little girl Saturday at Six Flags Great Escape Lodge and Indoor Waterpark.

A 5-year-old girl was found unresponsive in the water and taken by helicopter to Albany Medical Center, according to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office. Thanks to quick-thinking adults, she is recovering.

Stacy Brayton and her 5-year-old son, CJ, from Chestertown were about to start their day at the waterpark. Brayton works for Medcor, a private health care company, and her husband is a firefighter with the Chestertown Volunteer Fire Department.

Brayton said she and her son were getting into the river area when she saw people pulling a girl from the water. She said her paramedic training took over, as she and others could not find a pulse and immediately started CPR.

“I just saw her. Like you focus in on what you need to do, and everything else kind of gets blurred. Training kicks in. There’s no off switch for sure,” she said.    

A spokesperson for Great Escape told NewsChannel 13 that the park’s on-site lifeguard and EMT team also helped rescue the girl.

“We did compressions for about five minutes or so and then she started breathing on her own. And then by the time the ambulance got there, she was conscious and crying. So then when everybody came in, I just said to them, ‘She’s breathing, she’s breathing,’ because that’s the first thing you want to hear as a first responder,” said Brayton.

NewsChannel 13 reached out to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office for an update on the girl Monday, and they said there no further update was available.