This Sunday we share with you an amazing story of a 2 year old little boy who used his self-rescue survival skills to roll onto his back and float until rescued. Here at PPCD, we believe that this skill is one of the layers of protection necessary to prevent childhood drowning. (and now ... so does the AAP!) But it's not enough to just say "swim lessons," what will save a life is the skill of rolling back to float independently. Please read this story... and remind yourself that drownings don't ONLY happen in backyard pools, they happen wherever there is a water source. "My two year old baby fell into the water and was able to use his ISR skills to bring himself to the surface. I have been a swim lesson instructor for eight years, a swim team coach for six years and a certified ISR instructor for a little over a year now. During the ISR session that I was trained in, my youngest son, Eddie, learned self rescue skills and did a full six week ISR session.
Last summer, about six months after he was in his initial ISR session, we were coaching swim team (I say "we" bc my kids would often come with me to the pool and "help" out), and he was by my side one minute and the next he had walked off. He wasn't more than 20 feet away behind me and he wasn't near the pool so I wasn't concerned.
After a few minutes went by, a distressed swim mom was carrying my crying son to me and he was dripping wet. I was flabbergasted at first-- wondering how did he fall into the pool when I had a clear view and was keeping watch over the water? It turns out, he didn't fall into the pool... He fell into concrete water filled HOLE. It is a part of the drainage system that helps filter out junk from the pool. It’s supposed to be covered with a metal grate that would keep anybody from falling in. It wasn't covered that day.
Y’all, he fell into a black hole filled with water and surrounded by concrete. He could have very easily slipped in silently and sunk to the bottom, but he didn’t. He could have panicked, but he didn’t because we have practiced this situation over and over. He floated up to his back and grabbed onto the edge from inside the hole and was able to cry out for help.
I’m more grateful than ever that he learned these skills when Holly and Lisa came and trained us almost a year ago, and I’m more confident than ever in what we teach and how it can save lives. I am so thankful it was him that fell in that day and not another unskilled child, and obviously I am so thankful for ISR."
This is a video of Eddie showing off his skills!
Congratulations Eddie! He is a lucky boy! No child is drown proof, we acknowledge that. And we know that he is extremely lucky that he did not incur a head injury during his fall. He was trained to rollback and float in a "fall in" scenario, and he did just that. Great job!