An incident of a child drowning at Bukit Batok pool on 6 July has been captured on video, and the dramatic footage of the little one being resuscitated is being shared by many.
Child Drowning at Bukit Batok Pool Regains Consciousness
The little boy had been in the Bukit Batok Swimming Complex on the evening of Thursday 5 July.
According to a Sport Singapore (which manages the pool) spokesman, “Upon noticing the boy struggling in the water, his father and the lifeguards pulled him out of the pool and began to resuscitate him. After the boy regained consciousness, he was sent to the hospital.”
But what really makes our hearts race… and then stop… is the dramatic video of the resuscitation which you can watch at the end of this article.
Facebook user Wong Chee Wai uploaded the video on Friday (6 July). In it, we see lifeguards around the small child who has collapsed by the side of the pool.
The boy’s father can also be seen in the video, performing CPR on the child. A woman can be heard wailing in the background too. Thankfully, the little one regains consciousness, and his father gathers him in his arms.
The Straits Times shares this important message from Sport Singapore:
“As drowning can happen very quickly, we advise all parents and guardians to ensure close supervision and to be within arm’s reach of their children in the pool at all times.”
Mr Wong, too, has this reminder for parents:
“Do remember that: Lifeguards are not nanny nor babysitter.
“Additional note to add…
“This post is not to pin point the traumatised mummy, but is a preventive message to all parents to keep a close supervision of their little ones at the water environment, and not to blame/question the lifeguards, what they have not done diligently and resulting the kid drowning…”
Mums and dads, while we are very thankful that this child is okay, we’d like to take this opportunity to point out some pool safety reminders.
A child can drown fast and silently.
Pool Safety for Kids: Safety Notes for Parents
1. Never leave your children unsupervised even for a second. It is very important that you keep an eye on them at all times. If you want to leave the pool, bring your kids with you. Never think that someone else is watching over them. Don’t let them swim if nobody can look after them. Floaters are not substitutes for supervision.
2. Help your kids learn swimming safety skills. Your toddlers should learn how to relax in water and to hold their breath when under water in case of emergencies. It would also help if they could learn how to recover their breath and swim to the side of the pool when they start drowning. This will really be helpful just in case your kid goes into the pool without your knowledge.
3. Do not be too complacent even if your children know how to swim. A large percentage of drowning cases happens to children who have had swimming lessons. Toddlers who accidentally fall into a pool will immediately panic and forget everything that they’ve learned about swimming.
4. If your child jumps into a pool and starts to drown, dive in and get him or her out as quickly as you can. This advice may seem very silly, but many children die because their parents panic and freeze when they see their child drowning.
5. Set limits as soon as you and your family arrive at the pool. Tell your kids that they can only get into the pool when you are with them.
6. If you have a pool in your backyard, make sure that you put child-safe locks on your doors so your children will not be able to go to your pool on their own. Install a fence around your pool to prevent them from jumping into it unsupervised. Make sure that you remove objects that they can use to climb over the fence.
7. Put away toys, especially those with wheels, from the pool area. Your children might accidentally fall into the pool while playing with these.
8. Children who cannot swim should have floaters just in case they jump into the pool while you are not looking.
9. Learn CPR and first aid. Have an action plan prepared so you will know what to do in case of emergency. You should also have a telephone installed in your pool area which you can use during emergencies.
WATCH MR WONG’S VIDEO:
https://www.facebook.com/100012138277800/videos/524209251327013/
Source: The Straits Times