March 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 16

WE ARE PARKS AND RECREATION
From Lifeguard to First Responder
One student's inspiring journey to help others
By Craig Pattenaude
eing a lifeguard is an important job that requires leadership, immediate
action, emergency readiness, and special skills training
to meet your responsibilities. For one student, a purpose-driven
determination to help the community led him on a journey from
poolside rescuer to first responder.
It all started when Cole Munsey's
family experienced a severe
car accident in 2008. " My mom
was knocked unconscious,
and
our family dogs were ejected from
the vehicle, " Munsey remembers.
" The fire department came, and
they saved us at that moment. "
Thankfully, everyone survived, and
the positive response from the first
responders and paramedics left
a lasting impression on Munsey.
He decided then and there that he
wanted to do something to help
others in similar situations. " I want
to be that person to help others in
those unknown moments, " he says.
Finding His Passion
Through Lifeguarding
Munsey started down this path
when he got a job as a lifeguard
at the Cosumnes Community Services
District (CSD) Parks and
Recreation Department
located
in Elk Grove, California. There,
he had the opportunity to learn
valuable emergency response procedures
and lifesaving skills while
helping families stay safe and learn
to swim in the community's pools.
Munsey explains,
" Lifeguarding
100 percent made me find my passion
for the fire service. "
Munsey continued to build upon
his lifeguarding skills by attending
emergency medical technician
Cole Munsey's experience as a lifeguard
inspired his journey from poolside rescuer
to first responder.
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" Being a Fire intern
is rewarding, similar
to lifeguarding,
that you show up
right when things
are bad, and people
give you the thing
they care about
most, " Munsey
shares.
school. He heard about an internship
position at the Cosumnes CSD
Fire Department and something inside
him told him this was his chance
to pursue his passion. With an excellent
foundation, hard work and
dedication, Munsey rose to become
a Cosumnes Fire intern and recently
graduated from the program.
The Cosumnes Fire internship
proved to be an enriching experience
for Munsey. " Being a Fire intern is rewarding,
similar to lifeguarding, that
you show up right when things are
bad, and people give you the thing
they care about most, " he shares.
Munsey's desire to make a positive
impact on people's lives drives him
to be his best self every day.
To hear more from Pattenaude and
Munsey, tune in to the March bonus episode
of Open Space Radio at nrpa.org/
March2023BonusEpisode.
Craig Pattenaude is Marketing and
Communications Specialist for Cosumnes
Community Services District Parks and
Recreation (craigpattenaude@
cosumnescsd.gov).
PHOTO COURTESY OF CRAIG PATTENAUDE
http://www.nrpa.org/March2023BonusEpisode http://www.nrpa.org/March2023BonusEpisode
March 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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