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BRIGANTINE - A child nearly drowned Wednesday evening in the pool at a beachfront timeshare resort, but a quick response by firefighters and a police officer averted a tragedy, a fire official said.

The child, whose name, gender and age were not released, was found in the pool at the Celebrity Resorts timeshare on Ocean Avenue at about 5:45 p.m., and a witness had pulled the victim out of the water by time help arrived, fire Lt. Joseph Maguire said.

Police Officer Thomas Carberry was the first on the scene and began to clear the victim's airway, Maguire said. Firefighters arrived and found the victim to be unconscious and unresponsive.

Firefighter Emergency Medical Technicians Gregg Goff and Robert Sooy arrived a minute later and began resuscitation efforts with a bag valve mask device, Maguire said.

The victim was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus in Atlantic City, and was still alive when turned over to hospital personnel, Maguire said. Further information on the child's condition was not available.

Witnesses to the event wore sad expressions as they sat at picnic tables outside the enclosed pool area while police investigated. None were willing to talk about the experience.

Signs at one end of the pool read, "Warning: No lifeguard on duty." The pool area was closed Wednesday evening.

Andrea Latko, of Marlton, Burlington County, who is staying at the resort, said she saw emergency medical personnel take the victim to an ambulance.

"They threw (the child) on a stretcher and took him out," Latko said. "I just pray that (the child) is OK."

Latko's niece Ashley Silpath, also of Marlton, said she and her cousins swam in the pool earlier in the day. There was no lifeguard, and a sign said that children younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Latko said she didn't know what happened at the pool but that she believes there should be a lifeguard.

"Being a mother, I worry about that all the time," she said.

The Engine 3 crew of Lt. EMT Chris Solari and Firefighter-EMTs Jeff Newcomer and Pat Reed assisted with the resuscitation effort, Maguire said. AtlantiCare paramedic Chief John Delgado, who happened to be in the area, also assisted.

E-mail Elaine Rose:

ERose@pressofac.com

1 comment:

• erniemercer (55) posts 6:48 am

  Until we know more about the child's condition, it's premature to say "firefighters and a police officer averted a tragedy." That said, he (or she) has my wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.

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