Just one day into meteorological summer, Massachusetts had a close call in a body of water. A 4-year-old was pulled from the water at a Barnstable pond unresponsive on Sunday but began breathing before first responders arrived after bystanders performed CPR. The child was flown to a hospital.
That incident followed the drownings of three adults on Memorial Day weekend — considered the unofficial start of summer — two in Lynn on the same day and one in Lunenberg on May 25, the day prior.
Yet, those cases on Memorial Day weekend are largely the outlier, Dr. Michael Flaherty, a critical care physician at Mass General for Children, told MassLive.
Drownings are most common among children — particularly those between the ages of 1 and 4 and then, later, among adolescents — he said.
How to prevent children from drowning
The best ways to prevent drownings among those age groups differ, Flaherty explained.
For those younger kids ages 1-4, supervision is critical. Flaherty recommends adults supervising kids in the water remain only an arm’s length away. He also stressed that the responsibility of supervision should rotate, saying adults can typically sustain their attention on supervision for about 15 minutes.
“We think we’re really good at watching our kids. I have two toddlers; I think I’m good at watching them, but when there are other people around when you’re at a party, there are all sorts of distractions,” he said in an interview Monday.
For older kids, the warning from Flaherty was different — many incidents come from adolescents’ penchant for risk-taking, he said. He warned that alcohol and drugs can hamper one’s swimming ability, even for strong swimmers, and said adolescents should avoid places that aren’t meant for swimming or are closed.
“Every year, we unfortunately hear stories of jumping off of bridges or being in quarries where there are bodies of water that aren’t meant for recreational swimming, and there are reasons behind that, they’re harder to get to, they’re harder to call for help, and harder for that help to reach the person,” he said.
Drowning is not a “loud dramatic event” as it is often portrayed in media, Flaherty said. In fact, it is often quite silent as the person slips below the surface, likely rendering them unable to call for help themselves.
There is no one simple solution for preventing drownings, according to Flaherty. While knowing how to swim is a potential avenue to avoid any trouble in the water, Flaherty said it sometimes creates a false sense of security — especially for parents.
“Even if your child can swim, they still need to be supervised, they still need to be in a body of water that’s safe,” he said.
Flaherty also stressed the importance of learning CPR, adding “You never know when you’re going to be that person who’s with someone who unfortunately slips under the water [and] gets into trouble.”
When you observe a person struggling in the water, the most important thing you can do is get help, according to Flaherty. In many cases, jumping in the water to save someone drowning can lead to a dual tragedy, he said.
“It’s making sure that you’re a good swimmer, that the situation is safe before you try to go and save the person yourself,” he said. The “first step is to try to call for help … before then trying to go in yourself to save that person.”
Where to learn to swim in Massachusetts
This summer, officials across the state and in Boston are offering free swimming lessons to help prevent drownings.
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is offering three separate two-week sessions aimed at enhancing water safety and swimming skills for kids ages 4 through 12. Free lessons will be offered at about 18 to 20 pools across the state, depending on staffing. The full list will be available after June 9.
And in Boston, the city is offering free swim lessons for kids between 6 months and 18 as part of its Swim Safe Boston program. The program also offers life jackets, which can significantly reduce the risk of drowning when swimming in open water.
DCR is also offering up to $1,250 in bonuses and an hourly wage between $22 and $27 for lifeguards and swim instructors across its 81 designated swimming locations across the state.
