Litchfield Lifeguards Credited With 19 Saves at Milnot Beach

Article Summary: The Litchfield City Council opened its Sept. 3 meeting by recognizing 37 seasonal Lake Department employees at Milnot Beach, with Lake Supervisor Heather Bell telling the council the beach’s lifeguards made 19 saves this summer, including rescuing a person who had a seizure in the water.

Lake Department Seasonal Staff Key Points:

Thirty-seven young adults worked at Milnot Beach this summer.

Lifeguards were credited with 19 saves, including the rescue of a swimmer having a seizure.

The recognition came as the beach season closed out the weekend after the meeting.

Bell said visitors sent the city numerous compliments about the staff’s professionalism.

LITCHFIELD — The Litchfield City Council on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, recognized the Lake Department’s seasonal staff at Milnot Beach, commending 37 young adults and applauding the beach’s lifeguards for 19 saves over the course of the summer.

Lake Supervisor Heather Bell presented the recognition at Mayor Jacob Fleming’s invitation, telling the council she had written down her remarks ahead of time because the beach season was ending that weekend.

“Young adults sometimes get a bad rap for not wanting to work or not having a strong work ethic,” Bell said. “I can tell you that’s absolutely not the case with the young people we have working for the city of Litchfield.”

Bell said the 37 seasonal employees committed to spending their summer in the heat and dealing with the challenges that come with a busy public facility, and did it with very few complaints, very few issues “and a whole lot of humor.”

She singled out the lifeguards, saying they had an incredible summer and made saves ranging from helping swimmers who were simply exhausted to responding to a seizure in the water. The official minutes record the lifeguards as making 19 saves, including the rescue of one person having a seizure in the water.

“Their training, awareness, and willingness to act when it mattered most made a real difference,” Bell said.

Bell told the council she had received many compliments from visitors this year about the staff’s professionalism, helpfulness and work ethic. “Those compliments mean a lot because our staff are often the first and sometimes the only interaction visitors have with our city,” she said.

“I’m extremely proud of every one of them,” Bell said. “They work hard representing the city well and help make Milnot Beach a safe and enjoyable place for our community and our visitors.”

Fleming thanked Bell and the part-time workers, saying the lake is very busy and the staff do a great job. The council and audience applauded the seasonal employees who were present.

The recognition was the first item of business after the roll call. The lake was a recurring theme at the meeting, which also included a change order on the Lake Lou Yaeger Campground Expansion project and two easement agreements for a water line along Yaeger Lake Trail.