Boy’s Near-Drowning Serves As Reminder, Officials Say

LAKELAND, FL — The near-drowning of a 3-year-old boy in a backyard pool on Tuesday morning has the Lakeland Fire Department reminding parents of safety measures they can take to prevent tragedy.

According to the agency, first responders were called to a home in the 3100 block of Thoroughbred Loop West just before noon on Aug. 8. When paramedics arrived, they learned the boy’s near-drowning occurred in an above-ground pool behind the home. Paramedics examined the boy and found a pulse, but said it was weak. Life-saving measures were started, the agency wrote in an email to media.

Get the Lakeland Patch newsletter and alerts in your inbox.

Paramedics were able to stabilize the boy for transport, but said his condition remained critical. The boy was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital. His current condition is unknown.

“Sadly, the Lakeland Fire Department sees a spike in pediatric drownings every summer,” the email said. “This is a sad but important reminder for caretakers to please take extraordinary measures to help prevent possible drownings.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3,536 people died due to unintentional drownings between 2005 and 2014. About one out of every five people who die from drowning are age 14 and younger.

“For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries,” the CDC reported on its website.

The Lakeland Fire Department reminds that Florida leads the nation in pediatric drownings. It recommends parents take these steps to prevent drowning:

• Provide constant supervision around all bodies of water – no matter how big or small
• Make sure children stay clear of pool drains and openings
• Use gates, doors, locks, fences and screens to create barriers that prevent children from getting into pool areas without supervision
• Designate an adult “pool watcher” to monitor all pool activity and enforce rules
• Make sure to keep a phone nearby whenever children are swimming in a pool

For more tips on drowning prevention, visit the CDC online.

Keep up with what’s happening by following Lakeland Patch on Facebook.

Image via Shutterstock