By Paige Zulandt

On a cold December evening inside the Gallatin Civic Center, four employees were honored for their heroic acts this past August that helped save a young man’s life. Priscilla Claros-Ring, Paige Wolf, Lisa Petitt and Jamie Morris all received Lifesaving Awards from the American Red Cross for their efforts on August 24, 2025.

On that August evening, a young man exited a slide in the pool and began to show signs of distress. That’s when Priscilla jumped into action to rescue him. The young man complained of chest pain and began to nod in and out of consciousness. Priscilla credited her lifeguard training for being able to react quickly.

“It’s not just sitting around getting a tan, it is literal life or death in a seconds notice,” Priscilla says.

Priscilla got the victim’s airway open and began a rapid assessment. Paige quickly grabbed the backboard to help get the man out of the water. While waiting for EMS to arrive, Priscilla helped keep him awake and warm, as Paige cleared the pool deck of any debris to allow EMS to be able to work quickly. Jamie, the Aquatics Assistant Supervisor, expressed her admiration for all of the lifeguards involved that day.

“I try to really emphasize to my guards, you don’t get to pick when emergencies happen,” Jamie shares. “I’m very proud of Paige, it was her first summer. Priscilla is very fast and recognized the man had distress. Lisa wasn’t even on the clock when it happened, and she was just out there to wrap up her day.”

Lisa had been on her way out for the evening and had just stopped in to say goodbye when the incident occurred. She quickly jumped in to help and called 911. Her quick decision making, even while not on duty, earned her the Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action.

Priscilla, Paige and Jamie all received the Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders for their lifesaving actions.

“Once it all started to settle down, it’s when we were like ‘this just happened, this was real,’” Priscilla recalls. “It didn’t feel like it at the time. It felt like seconds, but it was minutes, and I’m glad we got him out.”

Priscilla, Paige, Lisa and Jamie were not only recognized by the American Red Cross of Tennessee, but the city of Gallatin as well. Gallatin Mayor Paige Brown gave them each a key to the city for their actions. Mayor Brown shared that she’s only presented five other keys during her three terms as mayor.

During an emergency, every second counts until medical help arrives; that’s why it’s important to learn lifesaving skills. The Red Cross provides lifesaving courses in skills such as first aid, CPR and using an AED. To learn more and find a course near you, visit redcross.org/takeaclass.