Drowning: "It was only a minute"

[WanderingStar]

While not sailing, this was a water death, I think it's relevant. Today I responded to a report of a child pulled from a pool, not breathing. Cops were there very quickly, I drove 80 and got there fourth. CPR was started immediately, but he was cool, and his eyes were rolled back, unresponsive. FD ambulance arrived quickly, picked him up, on oxygen, started an IV. His grandmother told me "it was only a minute". He'd gone out a side door into the garage, which was open when his aunt left. The latch on the pool gate was open. His brother, maybe 7, asked "is he dead?", mommy will be mad at me". When the mother arrived home and saw the police cars, and our faces, she collapsed, screaming "where's my baby!?". She also had to be hospitalized. The child died. He was three years old.
If you have a pool, put a lock on the gate. Consider a pool alarm. If you take your children boating, put life jackets on them. When you drive your car, keep them in car seats, or belted if old enough. Don't underestimate the ability of small children to open doors or gates.
Save the children.

[Faster]

Originally Posted by WanderingStar

.....Save the children.

Amen to that....

[dillybar]

Heart wrenching. There is nothing more tragic than the death of an infant. May he find Fiddlers Green...

[wchevron]

Tragic...

[sailor50]

I don't have children but - my nephews grew up with the rules - I live on the water, nobody leaves the back door without a life jacket until they are 13! On the boat - the life jacket doesn't come off until you prove you can swim and then it is past 13!.

That saved them (and us any tragedy) until their abilities to swim would allow them to prove that they could do so. It was well before 13, but that gave swimming lessons an incentive to the parents w/o a pool.

Thankfully, they are 25 and 18 now, and they can swim circles around me!

Rules are Rules.

[endevour]

so sad...tough to even read

[bljones]

Thanks for the reality check, Wandering, and I'm sorry you had to respond to this call. You doing okay with it?

[cormeum]

Really sad. Not only pools but bath tubs as well. I've had to pull up the little ones several times over the years when they slide down in the tub. Never leave them unsupervised.

Even if only for a minute.

[sailingdog]

I'd point out that many toddlers are just as likely to drown in a couple of inches of water in a tub or pool, or a few inches in a bucket... PROPER SUPERVISION is the only real way to keep them safe.

[WanderingStar]

I'm sorry to share this heartbreak, but I hope it will make someone think about safety and prevent a similar tragedy.
Thanks for your sympathy. I will get over this (though I'll never forget). The boy's family will not.