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SC deputy rescues granddaughter from drowning in pool accident

Firefighters continued CPR and used an AED to revive the one-year-old girl

ST. HELENA ISLAND, S.C. — A one-year-old girl is alive and well, thanks to quick action from her grandfather and the firefighters of St. Helena Island Fire District.

Beaufort County Sheriff’s Deputy Isaac Fripp was terrified when he found his granddaughter, Treasure Jefferson, floating in his pool unresponsive and without a pulse.

“She was still. She was still. Eyes were closed, and so was her mouth,” Fripp said.

He started CPR immediately and continued compressions until firefighters with the Lady’s Island/St. Helena Fire District arrived to provide additional support. They were able to use an AED to save Treasure’s life.

Firefighter Sam Kearns, one of the first responders at the scene of Treasure’s accident, told WSAV News that the girl had no pulse when they arrived.

“When you arrive on scene and it’s a one-year-old baby, all kinds of things go through your mind. It’s like, we can’t let this happen on our watch,” Kearns said. “We have to do everything we possibly can. When we leave here, we can’t leave nothing undone.”

Kearns and his team were able to resuscitate Treasure and took her to the hospital shortly after.

“It made us feel like everything that we’ve done in the last 15 years is worth this one time, because you’re not going to save everybody,” Kearns said. “But if you get a chance to save a beautiful one-year-old girl…it’s amazing.”

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