City of Maricopa Fire Department reports near drowning, stresses importance of water safety

Sunday June 10, 2012, 11:08 PM City of Maricopa Fire Department

Maricopa, ARIZ- June 10th 2012 At approximately 3:45 p.m. Maricopa Fire Department crews responded to reports of a drowning at the community pool at the Villages clubhouse. The 911 caller stated a young boy was pulled from the water and CPR was rendered until the boy began coughing and vomiting. When crews arrived on scene they found the patient, a 4 year old boy, lying on a pool chair with bystanders surrounding him. The patient was alert and talking, but appeared lethargic. Immediate assessment began and no obvious life threatening injuries were found. As a precautionary measure the patient was transported to Cardon’s Children’s Medical Center for further evaluation and treatment. Bystanders stated patient began to struggle while swimming and before family members were able to come to his aid he went under, ingesting and inhaling pool water. This incident highlights the importance of constant vigilance when children are around water. The ABCs of drowning awareness are a vital component of water safety that are simple and easy to follow. A- Adult supervision (18 years or older) B- Barriers (fences, elevated door locks) C- Classes (CPR, swim classes). Adhering to these principles will save lives and help reduce the disproportionate number of drowning victims that occur annually in Arizona. Contact MFD Public Information Officer Jon Sheaffer @ (520)251-3888 or jonathan.sheaffer@maricopa-az.gov For full details, view this message on the web.