TOOELE COUNTY, Utah — The drowning that took the life of an 11-year-old Tooele County girl over the weekend has sparked conversations about how we can prevent such tragedies in the future.
On Saturday, the unidentified girl was pulled from the Terra pond by neighbors who were alerted by a boy who was with her at the time. Despite the neighbor and first responders performing CPR, the girl later died.
Kathleen Steadman, a member of the Utah Drowning Prevention Coalition, warns all residents, no matter their age, to never underestimate that just about anyone can drown.
“It’s heartbreaking,” said Steadman. “People may think drowning is a child problem but a third of the drownings that happen in the state of Utah are kids and those other two-thirds are older teens and adults. Water emergencies can happen to anyone at any age.”
A few safety measures everyone should consider include wearing a life jacket when around open water, taking swimming lessons, and educating kids about water danger beyond the swimming pool or the waterfront.
For anyone who sees a person drowning, never jump into the water to grab them.
“You don’t want to go in after them and then you suddenly have two victims,” warned Steadman. “Look for something that’s around you that you could throw out to them like a life jacket, a pole, or a stick to pull them in.”
South Davis Recreation Center lifeguard instructor Mack Jenkins said even a little water in the lungs can affect the respiratory system.
“The necessity of pulling them out of the water is so crucial to stop that drowning process,” Jenkins explained. “Even outside of the water — if CPR isn’t started, that person can continually drown outside of the water.”
Steadman wants Utahns to respect water and treat it like the dangerous thing it can become.
“Don’t underestimate how dangerous water can be,” she said. “It’s so much fun and such a wonderful opportunity for people of all ages, but things can go wrong in a second.”
