Nursing student helps save 3-year-old girl in near-drowning

The quick actions of two people likely prevented a near-drowning situation from turning tragic on Friday afternoon after a 3-year-old girl fell into the community pool in the Villages at Rancho El Dorado.

Maricopa police spokesman Sgt. Stephen Judd said the girl’s family told officers that they were eating under the clubhouse ramada around 1:20 p.m. when the girl’s brother noticed her floating facedown in the water and pulled her out.

A nearby 34-year-old nursing student heard the family’s cries for help. “She described the child as having dark, blue lips and not breathing,” said Judd, who added officers believe the girl was under water for about two minutes.

The nursing student administered CPR and about the time emergency crews arrived on scene, the girl became responsive and started breathing.

Maricopa Fire Department spokesman Brad Pitassi said fire personnel provided additional life support techniques and the girl was airlifted to Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix. “She’s awake, breathing and very upset. She’s being evaluated,” he said.

Pitassi credited the rapid intervention of the nursing student as the key to the girl’s survival.

“She did everything that she needed to do,” he said.

Both police and fire officials stressed that with the weather warming up, parents need to be very wary when children are around water.

“This is a very important time for people to revisit their water safety messages and educations,” said Pitassi, adding the fire department will be conducting a water safety event on May 16 at Pacana Park.

Fire paramedic Carlos Schulz, who is the fire department’s water safety coordinator, said the Water Watchers program through Phoenix Children’s Hospital stresses the ABC’s of water safety with A as adult supervision, B for barriers and layers of protection and C for classes of CPR, first aid and swimming lessons.

“You can never overemphasize education with water safety,” he said.

Schulz added everyone needs to learn water safety and CPR whether they are parents or not since no one knows for certain when they’ll be in a situation where that training is needed, just like with the nursing student at the Villages community pool.

“She’s the perfect example of what we’re trying to teach,” he said.

Judd said each member of the girl’s family “thought someone else was watching her. It was the classic scenario; there wasn’t a designated person (to watch the child).

“We’re encouraged that it looks like it’s going to have a positive ending. But regardless of the outcome, it’s important for people to understand that as it gets closer to warm weather, they need to keep an eye on children around water. A pool gate isn’t enough.”

Photo by David Argabright