EVERETT, JULY 9: An 11-year-old boy is in critical, but stable, condition after nearly drowning at Silver Lake Tuesday, July 8.
At approximately 3 p.m., the Everett Fire Department was dispatched to Thornton A. Sullivan Park in South Everett after receiving reports that a child had fallen off the dock into the water.
An adult who was with another group of children playing and diving off the dock noticed that the child had not resurfaced and yelled for help, according to Everett Fire. As passersby responded to the call for help, a family member of the child indicated that he did not know how to swim.
A 13-year-old young man swimming in the area noticed the situation and dove into the water to search for the missing child. After several attempts, he successfully located the boy and brought him to the surface, where bystanders were able to lift him onto the dock.
Three nurses, along with several other community members, immediately began performing bystander CPR on the child. Witness information indicated that the child had been underwater for a period ranging from four to six minutes.
Firefighters from Engine 7, stationed near the park, arrived within minutes of being dispatched, with other fire crews arriving shortly after. Fire crews continued CPR and were able to regain a pulse before transporting the boy to Providence Regional Medical Center.
A total of 17 personnel, including six fire units and four police units, responded to this incident.
“The Everett Fire Department recognizes the courageous actions of the 13-year-old teen for his bravery, which undoubtedly played a vital role in saving the child’s life,” Everett Fire said.
Safety Tips from Everett Fire:
- Always watch children when they are in or near water, and never leave them unattended, even when a lifeguard is present.
- Designate an official Water Watcher, an adult tasked with supervising children in the water. That should be their only task – they shouldn’t be reading, texting, or playing games on their phone.
- Teach children how to swim.
- Know how and when to use life jackets, especially with children and weak swimmers. Ensure life jackets are Coast Guard-certified, correctly fitted, and worn.
- Never allow anyone to swim alone. • Don’t drop kids off at the beach unsupervised.
- Learn first aid and CPR.