Joseph Ford of Woburn and Noelia Aquino of Lowell, center, were honored by the state Tuesday as two of several Department of Conservation and Recreation lifeguards who saved lives last year. From left are DCR Commissioner Jack Murray, Ford, Aquino, Gov. Deval Patrick, and Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan.

BOSTON (AP) -- State officials are honoring young lifeguards who rose to the occasion during emergencies at state beaches and swimming pools last summer.

Gov. Deval Patrick joined the Department of Conservation and Recreation in presenting citations on Tuesday to 33 lifeguards at a Statehouse ceremony.

Last July 4, lifeguard Joseph Ford of Woburn noticed the motionless body of a 5-year-old at the Lord Pool in Lowell and jumped in to save the boy. Noelia Aquino of Lowell then provided CPR with the help of a nurse who happened to be there. The boy, Nay Blut, was released from the hospital within several days. It was Ford's third day on the job.

Domenique Riviera, a Lowell resident, was also honored by the state on Tuesday. Riviera saved an infant at Walden Pond in Concord, who had stopped breathing and had no pulse. As the head lifeguard, she performed the rescue and did rescue breaths. The baby started to cough immediately and Riviera waited with the family until EMS came and transported the baby to Emerson Hospital.

Many of those honored were involved in dramatic water rescues, while others acted quickly to help save victims on land, including a toddler who was choking on food and in one case a person who had overdosed on drugs.

In 2013, the agency hired 677 lifeguards for its 32 swimming pools, 15 ocean beaches and 25 freshwater beaches in Massachusetts.

Lifeguard applicants must be at least 16 years old, have a Red Cross or YMCA lifeguarding certificate and be trained in CPR.

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Local lifeguards' heroics honored