Each month at Life Saver Pool Fence, we use a blog post to feature some of the drowning deaths and daring rescues of the previous few weeks. As you can see in our post from May, there are far more stories than many people may expect. In spite of how morbid this may seem, it is necessary reading.
At Life Saver Pool Fence, we are dedicated to spreading water safety awareness. Each of these stories about drowning deaths or people who were quick-thinking under pressure can help to prevent further loss of life.
Here are June’s Tales of Drowning Deaths and Heroic Rescues
After Multiple Drownings, Utah Authorities Warn Against Pool Dangers
In Utah, Rieley Northrop, a 3 year-old girl, drowned in an above-ground pool. Her older sibling attempted to revive her using CPR, but it was too late. She was soon flown to the hospital where, sadly, Rieley died.
Just days before, there had been another near-crisis in Utah. A 4-year-old boy slipped under the water and became unresponsive at a community pool. Fortunately, by the time paramedics arrived on the scene, the victim had been revived.
This string of incidents encouraged authorities to speak out about water safety.
Just how serious is the problem across the nation? Well, drowning is the number-one cause of death for children under five in Florida, Arizona, and California. It ranks number two for over a dozen other states. Statistically, for every drowning there are eleven near-drowning incidents.
These stories remind us to teach our children to beware of a false sense of security near any body of water.
You can read the full story here.
CPR Saves a Child’s Life
In Kansas, a quick thinking mom was able to use CPR to save her toddler’s life.
Crystal Dube’s son, Kason, had quickly and quietly been overtaken by the water of a pond. She found him face down in the water close to shore. Fortunately, Crystal is trained in CPR and was able to rescue her boy.
This is a great reminder for all parents and caretakers to become certified in CPR. Always keep your children within arms reach, and have back-up layers of protection put into place.
You can read Crystal and Kason’s full story here.
Hero Rescues a Drowning Pregnant Mom and Toddler
In Indianapolis, a brave hero saved not just one person but a whole family! When Jennifer Potter jumped into the water to save a little boy who was drowning, she wasn’t expecting the boy’s mother to be in danger just underneath him!
Without a second thought, she grabbed both mother and son and swam as fast as she could to pull them out of the water.
To be clear, Life Saver Pool Fence does not recommend jumping in when you recognize that someone is drowning. In fact, we’ve written an entire article about how to save someone from drowning. Regardless, it’s wonderful that everyone made it out of the water thanks to Jennifer’s bravery!
Once again, we are ecstatic that everyone involved in this incident is okay.
You can read the full story here.
North Carolina Girl in Critical Condition
In June, police reported that a little North Carolina girl was in critical condition after nearly drowning in an apartment complex pool. This little girl was found floating in the pool, with no one there to watch her. She had slipped out of the house and wandered to the neighborhood’s pool. This is why active supervision is so important. Accidents can happen in the space of time it takes to answer a phone call or greet someone at the door.
You can read the full story here.
13-Year-Old Boy Heroically Saves Another Child From Drowning
Let’s wrap up these stories of drowning deaths on a more hopeful note. 13-year-old Cody Runyun is being hailed as a hero after saving another child from drowning. When Cody noticed another boy at the bottom of a pool passed out, he immediately sprang into action. Cody grabbed the unconscious boy and dragged him out. Another heroic bystander, a woman named Desiree Pasko, was trained in CPR. The boy was brought back to consciousness before medical help arrived.
We love hearing stories like this!
You can read the full story here.
