From Nicole Williams:
Sacramento Regional Fire dispatchers and two residents, saved the life a 4-year-old boy who nearly drowned in a community pool at approximately 3:45 p.m. today at the Creekside Estates Mobile Home Park on the 6000 block of Greenback Lane, officials said.
The child's mother was supervising her son and about four other children inside the gated pool area, but had her back to them, said Capt. Christian Pebbles, spokesman for Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department.
When she turned around her son was at the bottom of the pool and had been there for about a minute, he said.
His mother started screaming for help, and the manager - whose child was also playing in the pool - called 911, Pebbles said.
The dispatchers, "who are the real heroes here, stayed calm, cool and collected" and gave the manager and the assistant manager CPR instructions.
"They probably saved the boy's life," he said.
When firefighters arrived the boy had a pulse, but was not breathing on his own, he said. Fire personnel were able to resuscitate the boy.
He was then transported to Mercy San Juan Hospital where he is listed in serious condition, but is expected to survive, a Citrus Heights Police Department news release states.
"Here's the real message," Pebbles said. "Mom's in the gated pool and not paying attention for a moment, and that's all it takes. Nothing - nothing - substitutes for constant adult supervision."
Even precautions like gates and adult presence aren't enough to prevent drownings - supervision must be uninterrupted, he said.
"People think they're safe," Pebbles said. "If you are in, near, or around water you need to believe this can happen to you - because then you are going to take those extra precautions."
Sacramento Regional Fire Dispatch is a central fire department call center for Sacramento County.
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