drowning

3-year-old nearly drowned in Berkley, expected to recover

The young boy who nearly drowned in a family residential pool lost and regained consciousness following emergency medical instructions by phone

Generic Pool water
NBC 5 News

A 3-year-old boy came close to drowning in a pool in Berkley, Massachusetts, on Sunday, but is expected to make a full recovery thanks in part to the quick actions of dispatchers and first responders.

On Sunday, at approximately 4:45 p.m., firefighters and police officers responded to multiple 911 calls from a Pine Street residence.

The reports from the Berkley Fire Department said that a boy was pulled from a pool and was unconscious and not breathing.

The dispatchers who answered the calls gave emergency medical instructions over the phone as police and firefighters made their way to the home.

Family members were administering CPR when responders arrived, and the boy regained consciousness shortly thereafter. The boy was given oxygen on the scene and was taken to a local hospital. He is expected to be released Tuesday on track to a full recovery.

"I would like to commend the dispatchers that provided emergency medical instruction and guidance to family members at the scene and our police and fire personnel who worked quickly, efficiently, and aggressively to save this young boy's life," said Berkley Fire Chief Fournier in a press release.

Police and fire officials remind residents to never leave children unattended near a body of water, and to make sure there is an adult able to accompany them in the water. No one should ever swim alone - always have lifeguards or watchers - and even with lifeguards on duty, childrens should be watched by a responsible adult. Officials also recommend taking a CPR course for adults and children and keeping those skills up to date.

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