Parental Lessons That Can Save Lives

Several weeks ago, we went through a much-too-close brush with the most terrifying nightmare of a parent - the loss of a child. Through luck and divine grace, we still have our two-year-old, Christopher (Topher), alive, well and happy. We came through this scare with a new appreciation for Topher, for our family and for the great service that our local emergency medical technicians and hospital personnel provide every day. We learned a few parental lessons the hard way, and wanted to share them in hopes that others in the community could learn from our experience.

Several weeks ago, our family was at a friend's house for a pool party in Bartlett. It was getting towards dinner, and there were about seven children in the pool, plus me. We ordered pizza, and the pizza deliveryman showed up at the edge of the fence to the pool. Topher had been playing around the steps coming into the pool. He had a life jacket on earlier in the day, but after we took him to go to the bathroom, he refused to put it back on (Parental lesson #1: Do not let your children dictate water safety. It may be hard to stand firm, but don’t be afraid to do so when it is in your child’s best interest).

Topher was playing on the steps and walking out on an underwater ledge that ran along the edge of the pool. I was in the pool playing catch with one of my other boys, and my wife and two other parents had been keeping a close eye on the pool and the children in it. When the pizza showed up, all of the adults that were not in the pool went to get money, and then all tried to be the one to pay for the pizza. (Parental lesson #2: Always have someone designated to watch the pool while young children are playing in it. Even a brief distraction is very dangerous). When they came back with the pizza, Nate (our nine-year-old) went to get out of the pool. He yelled, "Oh my God, Topher is under the water!" Nate pulled Topher up, and the adults helped pull Topher out of the pool. He wasn't breathing and his face was turning blue. My wife was screaming, "Call 911," and then, "Oh my God, my baby, my baby!" I got out of the pool and ran to him. Luckily, we had been talking about CPR about an hour before, and had talked through the ABCs (clear the airway, give breath, do compressions for circulation).

Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. I pumped on Topher's stomach three times, pushing out what seemed like a gallon of water. Then I gave him a breath, chest compressions, another breath. After two or three rounds of my rough attempt at CPR, he started to suck in air. We turned him on his side and he threw up about a gallon more water, and then started to cry. He was back! (Parental lesson #3: Be trained in CPR, and if that training is not up to date (I did my training over eight years ago) take the time to attend a refresher course. You can sign up for a CPR class through your local fire or police department, hospital, or the American Heart Association). We had expert, comforting and attentive service from the EMT team, the emergency room staff at Alexian Brothers Hospital in Elk Grove Village, and later at St. Alexius in Hoffman Estates. Topher was awake and conversational by the time we got to the emergency room.

He stayed at the hospital overnight for observation, and was transferred by the great Air Angels team to St. Alexius to have the benefit of the Pediatrics ICU. He is still bragging about his helicopter ride. All of Topher’s tests came back fine: blood oxygen level and a clean chest x-ray (no water in his lungs). When the doctor came around the next morning, Topher was playing with trucks on the floor. The doctor said, "Is this the patient? He doesn't need to be in the hospital!" He proceeded to tell us how he normally finds a nearly drowned toddler in an ICU hospital bed, tethered to machines, intubated, non-responsive or worse. We realize that many parents are not as lucky as we were and our hearts and prayers go out to each of those parents – we realize how quickly events can change and affect our lives forever.

I want to express the thanks of my entire family to the first responders and all the hospital staff that worked so hard to make sure Topher was safe, healthy and well cared for. Topher is back to 100 percent, bugging his brothers and his parents as only a two-year old can do. We have a much stronger appreciation of the joy he brings into our lives, and sometimes my wife and I will stand at his bedroom door before we go to bed, just watching him sleep. We also realize that life can change in an instant, so we need to be vigilant, trained and ready to act in an emergency. Please get trained in CPR – it really can save lives!

What can be done to baby proof our pool?

Every year, hundreds of young children in the United States drown and thousands more are hospitalized with brain damage or other injuries due to accidents in home swimming pools or spas. This is particularly tragic because most of these accidents could have been prevented with a few simple steps.

For starters, put a pool fence around your pool. It must be at least 4 feet high with no gaps wider than 3 inches. If you have an above-ground pool, be sure to remove or lock up the ladder when the pool isn't in use.

Inside your home, add latches to any doors and windows that lead outside. Get in the habit of using these latches at all times, make sure and ask your houseguests to do the same. If you have an alarm system in your home, set it on "Chime." This means the alarm system will make a chime sound if anyone opens a perimeter door or window, and alert you if your child tries to get out. If you're not sure whether your alarm system has this feature, ask your alarm company.

No matter what kind of alarm system you have for your pool or home, don't let your guard down. Even the best alarm is no substitute for a fence, latches, and most of all vigilance. Never let a young child go near a pool or spa without close adult supervision.

Pool Guard Quality and Reputation

I recently met and sold a customer that had several different estimates for Swimming Pool Safety Fences and Swimming Pool Safety Nets from many of my competitors’ in town. She said there were two main factors which made Pool Guard stand above the others, pool safety fence quality and local reputation for quality installation.

She said that none of the others showed her the high-quality interlocking mesh that Pool Guard uses and while many did have reinforced aluminum poles, they didn’t appear to be the same four way reinforced - heavy gauge aluminum of the Pool Guard removable safety fence pole. She mentioned that the Pool Guard Lifetime warranty was equal to or longer than anyone else which gave her piece of mind.

Lastly, she was convinced Pool Guard was the company for her because of the long standing reputation of quality installation. She checked the Better Business Bureau and found that Pool Guard of Tampa Bay, Inc. is a member in good standing with no negative reports. She also is a member of Angie’s List and found that Pool Guard of Tampa Bay, Inc. is highly rated and referred by other members.

Kevin Post
Pool Guard Tampa Bay, Inc.

Proactive Safety

On Sat. 9/1 a five year old drowned and died in Miramar. It was not the home owner’s child but a friend of theirs. We did an estimate a month and a half ago for someone that live four doors down. They have now called and are wanting to us to put the fence in right away. The home owners of the incident are wanting a pool fence now as well. It is a shame that someone has to die for people to realize the importance of a safety fence for swimming pools.