FLINTSTONE, Md. — Four lifeguards are being hailed as heroes, but not in a way you might expect. The four lifeguards were driving along Interstate 68, near Rocky Gap State Park when a pickup truck overturned and flipped onto its side.
The four women quickly jumped into action. Sofia Ottaviani, Samantha Preaskorn, Adri Meadors and Marissa Adams pulled over and called 911, then approached the truck to help.
According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, inside the truck was a family of six. They were heading home from Rocky Gap. There were four children in the overturned truck, ages 1 to 11.
The lifeguards broke windows and cut seatbelts, safely pulling the children out. Still in bathing suits from their time at the park, the lifeguards gave the kids towels and took them to their car to keep warm. They then went back to help the parents still trapped inside.
Eventually, they were able to remove the windshield of the truck and got the father safely out of the truck. Emergency Medical Services arrived and were able to get the mother out as well.
"Rocky Gap and Department of Natural Resources staff are proud of the work of Marissa, Sofia, Samantha and Adri, who demonstrated the quick thinking and bravery that makes lifeguards so important, both on and off the water," a spokesperson said in a press statement.
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