Boy Nearly Drowns in Pool

A 10-year-old boy was rescued by relatives after nearly drowning Thursday at a pool in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

The boy was swimming around 5 p.m. at Canoe River Campground when the incident occurred. His father pulled him out of the water and his aunt, who happens to be a Boston EMT, immediately began CPR.

The boy began to breathe, but was unconscious.

"We quickly scooped him up, put him back in the ambulance," said Eric Blanchette, a Mansfield paramedic and firefighter. "As far as the aunt goes, she definitely saved his life."

Firefighters say even if you are enjoying the pool from up on the pool deck, you can still be a hero, if there’s an emergency in the water.

"This is not something in Mansfield that we get too often. Across the state and across the country, it happens all too often," said Mansfield Fire Cpt. Richard Fiske. "Vigilance is key."

If you see a person that needs help, call 911. If they're not breathing, start CPR, or simply chest compressions.

"The start of CPR as early in the event as possible is critical for survival," said Fiske.

Firefighters call it "Bystander CPR."

"Put your hands in the mid-sternum area and just start pumping away," said Blanchette. "It's pretty basic, it gets the blood circulating. That's what happened yesterday, and look at the outcome,” said Blanchette.

He says it's something anyone can do and most communities have places to get trained.

"It's a busy time of the year, with everything - cookouts, kids swimming. Just keep your eyes open for everybody - brothers, sisters, parents keeping an eye open," said Blanchette. "You don't expect it to happen, but it can definitely happen. It happens to the best of us."