NSRI HARTBEESPOORT DAM RESPONDS TO CHILD DROWNING INCIDENT

At 10h40, Saturday, 22 April, NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam received a distress call reporting a child drowning in progress in a residential swimming pool in Schoemansville. Our NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam rescue swimmers and our NSRI medics, who were nearby at the time, immediately responded to the scene while the duty crew were activated.

NSRI HARTBEESPOORT DAM RESPONDS TO CHILD DROWNING INCIDENT:

On arrival on the scene the NSRI team found that the one-year-old male child had been successfully rescued from the water by his mother. However, the child was found to be unresponsive.

NSRI medics initiated efforts to expel water from the baby including pulmonary resuscitation efforts. The baby regained consciousness and spontaneous breathing.

Thanks to the quick and efficient actions of the NSRI team and the child's mother, the child was successfully resuscitated.

NECSA (Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa) ambulance services were activated. Upon their swift arrival NECSA paramedics evaluated the child and determined that no further medical intervention was necessary. The child was deemed to be healthy and safe.

It appears that the mom and dad had lost sight of their child for only a few moments and on investigating they found their child had already dipped into the pool and was floating face down.

The mom immediately rescued the child from the pool and the alarm was raised.

NSRI commends everyone involved for their swift response and effective teamwork in this incident.

We urge all members of the public to remain vigilant when children are in or around water and to ensure that safety precautions are taken at all times and a cloak of safety barriers are placed around residential swimming pools.