Child Nearly Drowns in Orange County Shortly After Pool Safety Meeting

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on May 8, 2019

On Wednesday, May 1st, officials with the Orange County Fire Rescue team were working with other first responders throughout Orange County as well as numerous child safety organizations to present a joint news conference on the importance of swim safety awareness. The goal of this meeting was to encourage parents in Florida to be extra vigilant over the summer as their children take to the numerous swimming pools located throughout Central Florida’s backyards.

According to statistics quoted by Orange County Fire Rescue Division Chief David Rathburn, the leading cause of death in children from 1 to 4 is drowning. Chief Rathburn went on to say that this sort of fatality is extremely preventable, and that the primary reason behind these deaths is that the parents or guardians of the children in question take their eyes off of the child while the child is either near a pool or actively engaged in playing in the pool.

The Florida Department of Children and Families stated that already in 2019 there have been 10 children in Florida who died from drowning. Two of these children, 2-year-old twins, died in Lake County this past April. Additionally upsetting is the fact that between 2016 and 2018 there were close to 250 children who drowned across Florida.

The presentation from the OCFR officials and the other child safety organizations was a success among the reporters present, but it is yet to be proven whether or not their efforts will lead to any change in the numbers. In fact, only an hour after the conference ended, members of the Orange County Fire Rescue responded to an emergency call that took them to a private residence along Herbinson Drive where a 1-year-old child was unconscious after having been pulled from the family’s pool.

According to the report, when the OCFR members arrived at the location they found the child unconscious as well as unable to respond. It is a tremendously fortunate occurrence that the fire officials were able to revive the child and then transport them to a nearby hospital where she received additional treatment. It is believed that the child is recovering well. It is not known who was responsible for watching the child at the time of the incident.

Sources:

• Orange County child nearly drowns hours after advocates raise swim safety awareness

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.