GERMANTOWN, Md. - It is the time of year when the temperature is hot and the pool is one of the best options for cooling down.
"We decided to come to the pool most of the days, enjoying the water and it’s nice," said one Germantown swimmer.
"It's hot, it's cooling us and it's the best place to be," said another swimmer.
The pool can also be a dangerous place if you are not careful. Kelly Chikes has been a lifeguard at the Williamsburg Square pool in Germantown for two years. On Monday, she noticed a young visitor playing in the water.
"He was playing right over here by the three feet [area of the pool], tossing a ball back and forth," recalled Chikes.
The ball ended up in the deep water and the child went to get it.
"He was just playing around in the water and he kind of went onto his stomach at one point. As lifeguards, we are used to seeing that,” said Chikes.
Kelly says it is a game kids play called "the dead man's float.” She says all the kids do it even though they are not supposed to. The lifeguards blew the whistle once but got no response from the floating child.
"His friend went over and tapped him and he wasn't responding," said Chikes.
Chikes and the other lifeguards blew the whistle three times, jumped into the water, pulled the child out and called EMS.
"We did have to put him in the emergency position to clear the air passageways. We just tilt the victim's head back and check their mouth, make sure there's nothing obstructing the airways,” said Chikes.
The child was taken to the hospital where he is reported to be fine. But it could have been a lot worse. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says each day, three children in the U.S. die from drowning and another four receive emergency care for nonfatal injuries.
"It's just something that you really have to be constantly vigilant, always looking around scanning. You can see our lifeguards in the chair have the rescue tubes already in their laps. You are just always ready for a save,” said Chikes. SOURCE: FOX DC
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