On Wednesday morning, about 200 Parnall primary students, along with a group of parents, were on a field trip to the pool. The children ranged from kindergarten to Grade 3, and were accompanied in the pool by eight parents who had children in kindergarten.

Shortly after 10 a.m., one of the boys, a five-year-old in the kindergarten class, was found to be unconscious at the bottom of the pool. One of the seven lifeguards on duty went in after the boy, while another ordered everyone out.

Fortunately, one of the parents, Maryam Traub, who happens to be an off-duty paramedic with Niagara EMS, was in the pool swimming with her daughter and saw what happened.

Lyne Degrasse, operations manager for Niagara EMS, said Traub immediately told her daughter to get out of the water and helped take the boy out of the pool.

Identifying herself as a paramedic, Traub quickly assessed the boy and found that he was not breathing, nor could she detect a heartbeat.

Traub began administering CPR and, having a direct line to EMS dispatch, guided paramedics responding with an ambulance to the scene.

The boy was revived at the pool. He was conscious and responsive, with his eyes open, and he was breathing on his own. Two Niagara EMS paramedics responded, and the boy was taken by ambulance to St. Catharines General Hospital.

Degrasse said Traub, who worked the night shift Tuesday and was scheduled to work again Wednesday night, was matter-of-fact when describing what happened, saying she just did what she's trained to do.

"That's her job, that's what she said," Degrasse said. "She made sure they (responding paramedics) knew where they were going and did what needed to be done.

"It was a good outcome to a story that could have ended very tragically."

Kim Yielding, director of communications for the District School Board of Niagara, said the boy is stable, though he is being kept in the hospital for observation over the next 24 hours to ensure he makes a full recovery.

She said parents who were at the pool credit the off-duty paramedic for saving the boy's life.

"They are commending the parent for stepping in and doing what needed to be done," she said. "We're absolutely grateful to the parent for acting so quickly."

She added there's already been some discussion about formally recognizing the parent for the quick response. However, at this time, the chief concern is for the children who are understandably shaken over the incident.

The school board has called in three counsellors and a social worker to speak to the students, and information will be sent home to parents offering tips about how to talk to their children about the incident.

"Understandably, teachers are saying that students are upset and concerned," Yielding said. "This is a very close-knit school, and they're really hoping he makes a full recovery."