Heatstroke Closes Grosse Pointe Woods Pool

St. Clair Shores emergency crews treated a 69-year-old man at Wednesday afternoon after a lifeguard spotted him in an unresponsive state, Parks and Recreation Director Melissa Sharp said. 

The pool and pool deck were closed for about half an hour Wednesday as lifeguards and park employees made way for the ambulance and other emergency crews. Sharp estimated about 500 people were in the pool or on the pool deck, and evacuating and closing the area is standard procedure when emergency crews are called. 

It was discovered the man was having a seizure and suffering from heat stroke, Sharp said. He was expected to recover when he left the park, she said. 

While this emergency response was earlier in the pool season than typical, park employees call for EMS about five times a year on average, Sharp said. That is for the entire park, not just the pool, she said. 

Due to the extreme temperatures the area has already experienced this year, attendance at the pool has been higher than usual for this time of year, Sharp said, noting the full pool hours are not yet in effect, as school is still in session. According to passes scanned at the gate Wednesday, 1,150 residents entered the park throughout the day, she said.

A senior lifeguard walking the pool deck spotted the man and alerted other guards of his condition, Sharp said. He was not in the pool but sitting on the pool deck, she said. 

Although she'd rather not have to call for emergency crews, it is necessary and having to do so this early in the pool season sets the tone for the seriousness of the job as a lifeguard, Sharp said. It also forces lifeguards to actually go through the emergency procedures in a real emergency, lending itself as a training opportunity about moving crowds of people quickly.