Summer drowning high risk to children

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Sonny Cohrs
  • 347th Rescue Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) --  The young boy peered up at me through the clear waters of Florida's Ichetucknee Springs. He looked calm, peaceful and somewhat serene. I asked a nearby adult if the child was OK, and he told me yes, that the boy had been playing in the chilly waters of this natural swimming hole earlier.

But when air bubbles rose to the surface, and the child seemed to float over on his side; I knew something was seriously wrong.

We pulled the boy from the water. His hands and teeth were clutched, his eyes wide open and foam leaked from his nose and mouth as I laid him on his back to assess the situation. He wasn't breathing.

I pinched his nose and administered a breath of air. With no results, I attempted a second time. My brother, also a military member trained in self aid and buddy care, stood calmly behind me, reminding me to stay focused and to tilt the child's head back. With the third breath, his chest rose as his lungs inflated with air. I could hear the water bubbling and gurgling in his chest -- and then, a cough.

A few seconds later, a staff member at the park shouted to turn the child onto his left side. She then took over the situation as I stepped back to the water's edge in disbelief at the surreal events that just unfolded. She gave him more rescue breaths, and hit him in the back to force the cold water from his chest.

The boy's family gathered a few feet away from him. They were crying, shouting, praying. I, too, said a silent prayer for God to help this child. He did. The boy was treated for shock while we waited for the paramedics to arrive. I remember thinking his terrified screams afterward were like a newborn baby fighting for life in a strange new world.

A collective sigh of relief and a round of applause from the crowd of onlookers filled the area as the boy was taken to the ambulance. He was flown via helicopter to Gainesville, Fla., and later released. Afterward, I hugged my own children as the event replayed over and over in my mind.

Sadly, many children aren't as lucky. According to the Center for Disease Control, unintentional fatal drowning in the U.S. averages nine people per day, or around 3,000 per year.

In 2003, 782 children ages 14 and younger died from drowning. Although drowning rates have slowly declined the last few years, drowning remains the second-leading cause of injury-related deaths for children under 14.

My message for parents is this: teach your child to swim. Make sure he or she has a healthy respect for water and knows the dangers. It's never too early to start teaching your children these valuable lessons.

It is also important to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation because you never know when you'll need it. If you're assigned to a career field that requires an annual CPR class, take it seriously. If you're not, seek out the training on your own.

(Courtesy Air Combat Command News Service)