A Lakewood child is lucky to be alive after after being pulled unconscious from a bungalow colony swim on Friday – all while adults and a lifeguard were present.
The four-year-old was reportedly swimming among many others in the public pool, when he went unconscious – but going unnoticed.
According to accounts from bystanders, not only did nobody notice that the child floating in the pool was unconscious, but he was even pushed away from someone trying to swim, until a relative noticed the boy was unresponsive and pulled him from the pool.
The lifeguard, a young teen, reportedly froze, and others did not know Hatzolah’s number. Luckily, a Hatzolah member from New Jersey was present, and performed CPR on the child, reviving him.
The child was hospitalized, and released Shabbos afternoon, when he returned to the colony and together with his father thanked the Hatzolah member who saved his life.
A bungalow colony resident said there are several messages that need to be learned from this frightening incident.
1) Adults must always be alert in the pool.
2) Packed pools should be required to have more than one lifeguard.
3) Pools should have Hatzolah’s number hanging – young lifeguards have little experience and can freeze when such incidents occur.
Baruch Hashem!
Let’s continue to increase zechusim for Klal Yisrael by working on shmiras halashon and judging others favorably,
So far I have distributed about 700 laminated tefillah cards (no charge) asking Hashem to help us with these actions, l’ilui nishmas Mindel Rivka bas Raizel, a”h, and recently added on l’ilui nishmas Shmuel ben Moshe Eliyahu, a”h.
If you would like to receive the Chofetz Chaim’s tefillah al hadibbur, asking Hashem to help us with proper speech during the day, and R’ Nosson’s tefillah on judging others favorably and finding the good in others, please email your name and address to dasigoldsmith2@gmail.com
PS. I would like to publicize this to Toms River residents but I do not know how to reach them. If anyone has ideas, please email me. Thanks.
Why wasnt 911 called . No one forgets how to dial 911
My daughter is a lifeguard in a colony. She said during the week is busy but ok, Friday and Sundays the pool has over 80 people. She insisted that there be more lifeguards on duty. The Mothers (or fathers) have to watch their kids. A 3 year old went to the “baby” pool, which does not have a lifeguard, it is the parents responsibility. She slipped in. Bh someone pulled her out. The mother was found at the other end of the pool area tanning… may Hashem watch over us…
Order cool address signs for your pool it’s quick and easy and saves precious seconds and has hàtzolahs number on it
http://www.colsafety.org
It is really surprising to me that a mother would not know that she has to watch her three year old at a pool.
Since most mothers (or fathers) bring their children to the pediatrician often enough, maybe the pediatrician can remind parents that they have to watch over their children very diligently when they are near or in water, whether a pool, ocean, bathtub, or even a pail of water (a child drowned in a pail of water in Eretz Yisrael recently, lo aleinu).
I think you should take out the part that the lifeguard froze. I am sure that this is unconfirmed, and people tend to make up these kind of stuff. I’m sure this lifeguard will be affected by this remark being mentally or from others that read this article. It is extremely irresponsibly and inconsiderate to post something like this.
Cedarbrodge, freezing is not a mental issue. Rather, it is a normal physiologic response to stress, a reflex related to fight/flight. Actually this is better described as fight/flight/freeze/fog. And yes, this should be publicized. As this is a HUMAN response to a stressful situation. And since we are HUMANS and this is the way that Hashem made us, we need to realize that this can happen, and find ways to work around this in a life and death situation.
What is the Catskills Hatzolah emergency number?
WHY WAS THERE ONLY ONE LIFEGUARD???? THERE SHOULD BE 1 PER 10 SWIMMERS!!!
It is a very important piece of information to publisize that the young lifegaurd froze.
I personally see the lack of maturity so many young guys posses in the field of lifeguarding, they do not understand the responsibility that comes along with it.
They believe it’s all about the certicate and position.
The issue is not with the young immature lifeguards – it is with the parents/schools/camps that hire them!
There is a lack of training process and ratio guidelines in almost all of our mosdos and definitely at private families.
There needs to be a head lifegaurd which gives repetative scenario training which will can avert the human freezing process in a real scenario
Why doesn’t every parent know CPR????
I am in a colony and many of the teenagers in the colony are lifeguards and various colonies around the country. They hire them at 15!!! to be lifeguards and pay them adult salaries which makes them want to do it. Many colonies don’t provide bungalows for the lifeguard which makes it difficult for them to find more mature lifeguards. It is literally H-shem watching that there are not more stories.
It’s very sad that the lifeguard froze, but this is not typical. A relative of mine’s life was saved, right here in Lakewood, by the 17-year-old lifeguard who pulled him from the water (with some assistance as he was heavy) and performed CPR. A well-trained lifeguard should know what to do in an emergency, and I do believe this is an isolated case.
Im Canadian n the process of becoming a lifeguard is longer and more rigorous there than here in the US. Young lifeguards need better training and pools should hire several..