PHOENIX — A child was rushed to a hospital Monday afternoon after nearly drowning in a pool in Phoenix.
Firefighters said a 4-year-old boy was pulled out of a pool near 7th Street and Thunderbird Road. Authorities said the boy was underwater for at least two minutes before being rescued.
Family members were able to perform CPR before first responders arrived.
The child was able to breathe on his own before arriving at the hospital, but firefighters said he remains in extremely critical condition.
In 2019, the Children's Safety Zone reported 36 total drowning deaths in Maricopa and Pinal Counties. Five of those deaths were in children ages 0 to 5. In 2020, they reported an increase with 47 total deaths. 14 of those deaths were in children ages 0 to 5.
To save lives, the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona broke down important safety tips easily with the ABC's.
A. Adult Supervision
B. Barriers between children and water
C. Classes, CPR for adults and swim lessons.
Lori Schmidt, Drowning Prevention Coalition President, also added everyone needs to wear life vests when enjoying Arizona's rivers and lakes.
"It is so different, the water is deeper, it flows faster," Schmidt said. "If you fall off that boat or kayak, you want to have some kind of extra protection to keep you above that water and avoid any kind of tragedy.”
This is a developing story. Stay with 12 News for the latest updates.
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