Chilmark lifeguards and town first responders lived up to their name on August 1, rescuing a visitor who was pulled from the water with the help of bystanders at Lucy Vincent Beach.

Lifeguards, emergency services personnel and beach staff were commended by the town select board at a meeting last week — and in a letter the board praised their valiance, saying the quick response amounted to a life-saving effort.

The individual who nearly drowned has been recovering at a Boston hospital, according to town officials.

Lifeguards appeared before selectmen on Tuesday. — Noah Asimow

According to the letter, the incident occurred at approximately 11 a.m. on August 1, when a visitor to Lucy Vincent Beach entered the water near the cliffs and did not resurface. Bystanders then pulled the woman from the surf and called lifeguards for assistance, with staff, firefighters and police responding to the scene.

“They provided lifesaving CPR and transported the patient to a waiting ambulance,” the letter states.

Tri-town emergency services personnel then stabilized the individual and transported the patient to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, where they were airlifted to Boston.

In the letter, the town select board specfically thanked lifeguard Luke Sausville (Poole), a six-year veteran of the beach staff, and firefighter and registered nurse Janice Brown for performing the lifesaving CPR on the patient.

“Their prompt actions contributed directly to saving the life of this visitor,” the letter stated.

At Tuesday’s meeting, selectman Warren Doty recounted his own experience as a lifeguard, noting that the act of performing a save can change the lives of all involved.

“This idea of saving a life is really something that lasts with you for a long time,” Mr. Doty said, adding that he performed two saves as a lifeguard. “It’s still an important part of my life. I think it’s something that you can all look forward to. You had a real save — a save with a capital S. And if it wasn’t for your activity, that person would not have made it. So congratulations.”

Selectman Bill Rossi also added his thanks.

“It’s a reminder to everyone that lifeguard on the south shore is not just a sit on the beach type of job,” he said. “Thank you, you did a great job.”

Beach staff involved in the save included Mr. Sausville, along with Leif Iversen, Lila Norris (Conroy,) Hayden Sausville (Poole), Noah Gamper, Parker Bradlee and Teagan Myers. Along with Ms. Brown, firefighters Victor Silva, Alan Porter and David Norton assisted, as well as police and tribal staff Liz Rogers, Bill Fielder, Forrest Filler, Bret Stearns and Paul Manning.

Emergency services personnel included Matt Montanile, Samantha Smith, Pete Tennant, Jason Davey and Jason Blandini.

The bystanders were the Sawyer family and Francis Okine.