Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 5:08 PM
https://n2v.almanacnews.com/square/print/2019/05/29/child-drowns-in-atherton-pool-accident
Town Square
Child drowns in Atherton pool accident
Original post made on May 30, 2019
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 5:08 PM
Comments
Posted by Maureen
a resident of Atherton: Lindenwood
on May 30, 2019 at 12:17 pm
Maureen is a registered user.
a resident of Atherton: Lindenwood
on May 30, 2019 at 12:17 pm
Maureen is a registered user.
So very sad.
Posted by Elsie
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on May 30, 2019 at 1:10 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on May 30, 2019 at 1:10 pm
Just breaks my heart. Can't imagine the pain. Sending hugs to the parents.
Elsie
Posted by RJ
a resident of another community
on May 30, 2019 at 4:30 pm
a resident of another community
on May 30, 2019 at 4:30 pm
This is so unfortunate. Pool barriers should be made mandatory.
No matter how involved parents are with kids, just 1 minute can change life if you are near dangerously open water body. [Portion removed because it refers to a comment that has been taken down.]
Posted by Jenny Redo
a resident of Atherton: West Atherton
on May 30, 2019 at 6:56 pm
a resident of Atherton: West Atherton
on May 30, 2019 at 6:56 pm
I am so sorry for the family's loss.
In terms of the town, why not change the requirement but give, say five years, for home owners to become compliant? I do think though, it needs to be a barrier around the pool OR a pool cover one can walk on. Here is an example of a company who makes and installs such covers on existing pools in the area: Web Link (Note: I do not work for them. I am just a happy customer of theirs.)
Posted by Kaleb Hum
a resident of Atherton: other
on May 30, 2019 at 10:46 pm
a resident of Atherton: other
on May 30, 2019 at 10:46 pm
I am a swim coach and need like this is just heartbreaking. My deepest condolences extend to her family and loved ones.
All lifeguards, instructors, and pool owners should be diligently safe out there. This is a tragic reality with unimaginable heartache. God bless!
Posted by Carlos Chilel
a resident of Menlo Park: Belle Haven
on Jul 5, 2019 at 7:36 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: Belle Haven
on Jul 5, 2019 at 7:36 pm
One rarely highlighted aspect of a child drowning is that it is generally NOT a CPR situation. The child is suffering from hypoxia - a lack of oxygen. Kids have strong hearts that can tolerate drowning for a little while. But you only have four minutes to get O2 to the child’s brain and who knows when the clock started running down.
Start 5 or 6 rescue breathes immediately. Cover mouth and nose and watch out of the corner of your eye for chest expansion. Don’t bother losing time fumbling around to feel a pulse or listening for a heart beat or breathe sounds. Don’t finger sweep the mouth or mess around with text book “head tilt”. Just get oxygen into the kid’s lungs, even if it means starting the breathes while the child is still in the water.
If the child starts breathing, coughing and whimpering, you were both lucky.
If not, then check for a pulse. If not found, do compressions and rescue breathes. The crucial point: a child drowning is A-B - and maybe C. Airway, Breathes and compressions if the heart has stopped. This cyanotic, blue-lipped child in front of you has four minutes for you to do the right thing.
