Children's Safety Zone

Fire officials say a 2-year-old boy remains in extremely critical condition Friday after he was pulled from a canal Thursday morning.

A Phoenix police officer reportedly jumped in and was able to pull the boy out around 10:30 a.m. near 23rd Avenue and Indian School Road.

The boy was transported to Phoenix Children’s Hospital in extremely critical condition.

Phoenix police Sgt. Tommy Thompson said the child was walking along the canal and at some point fell in.

Thompson said the child was being watched at home by his teenage siblings. Officers suspect he lives somewhere along the canal. The parents were contacted and at least one of them showed up at the scene.

A passerby noticed the child floating in the canal and called police. When the officer arrived, she jumped in to pull the toddler out of the water and began to perform CPR.

Thompson said the officer is a 34-year veteran of the department.

“She did the best of her ability and acted heroically,” Thompson said. “She’s noticeably shaken on this situation because being a mom and having interaction with young children, it’s a tough situation.”

The incident is under investigation.

We’ve had 23 water-related accidents in Phoenix this year. Police and firefighters all around the valley want to bring that number down “ﾓ including in Tempe.

They’re using the child’s point of view to demonstrate just how easy it is for them to fall into a pool.

The perspective we see in this public service announcement is very different from others. It’s that of a child, drowning. A very grim reminder to parents that eye to eye contact around water is the difference between life and death.

The video is dramatic, the struggle obvious. A young child fighting to stay afloat, battling for her last breath. She doesn’t stand a chance.

“It was really fast it looked like she struggled for a little bit and then that was it.”

Parents we showed the video to were awestruck by the severity of the message, and surprised by how quickly a drowning can happen even when adults are around.

“We came up with this concept of our camera man actually going underwater, being the child,” says Sue Taeffe, spokesperson for Tempe Fire.

Taeffe says the PSA is all about eye to eye supervisions — a reminder that vigilance — watching your kids around water is the only way to prevent a drowning.

“We were thinking about how quiet a drowning can be, you know, you can be inside, even outside, maybe on the other side of your yard and the next thing you know your child is in the pool.”

This staged video is a minute long, the same amount of time it can take a young child to drown. Whether it’s a pool, the bathtub or toilet, it can happen anywhere any time of year.

“Accidents happen everywhere and so that video is pretty intense.”
FOX 10 News | myfoxphoenix.com

The Tucson Fire Department is sending out a reminder to parents and guardians this weekend following a near drowning late Friday night.

Units from TFD responded to the area of Tanque Verde and Wilmot Road around 10:45 p.m. Friday for a call involving a 1-year-old.

When the first fire crew arrived CPR was being administered by a Tucson police officer, according to a press release. Tucson fire paramedics arrived on scene and immediately transported the child to the hospital for further medical care.    

Drowning is the No. 1 cause of unintentional death for children ages one to four years of age. It is called the “silent killer” because there are no cries for help. Living the “ABC’s” of pool safety is imperative to prevent a near drowning or worse, a drowning:
 
“A” is active adult supervision. This is the first and most important part. Watch children at all times around water.

“B” is barriers. Have a fence that encloses the pool or spa and make sure the gates are self-closing and self-latching.

“C” is classes. CPR for adults and age appropriate swim lessons for the children. Knowing CPR enables the parent to be a first responder.

The pool looks so inviting, especially when it’s so hot outside. But it can also be deadly for our kids.

That’s why SWIMkids USA is helping keep your family safe

Starting now through Monday, September 2, they are giving away water safety bags to make sure you have eyes on the water for the weekend.

These bags include a wrist coil with a whistle so adults can signal for help in case of an emergency.

There are also several fliers to help with drowning prevention and CPR, and a coupon good for one month of parent-tot lessons.

They only have 200 bags to give away and they will have them on hand until Monday.

Even more, SWIMkids USA offers free swim lessons for infants from newborns to six months on a regular basis.

It’s a half hour parent-tot class that is held Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. and Saturday at 9 a.m.

So get out and enjoy the water this Labor Day weekend, but make sure everyone is safe.

2725 W Guadalupe Rd  Mesa, AZ 85202
480-820-9109

An ex-pitcher for the Chicago Cubs drowned at Bartlett Lake northeast of Phoenix Sunday, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said.

The body of Frank Castillo, 44, was pulled from the water at 2:26 p.m. Monday after a jet skier saw it floating.

Castillo played for the Chicago Cubs from 1991 to 1997, the Colorado Rockies, the Detroit Tigers, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Boston Red Sox and the Florida Marlins.

The Red Sox held a moment of silence for Castillo before Monday night’s game against Tampa Bay.

Sheriff’s deputies said Castillo and one of his friends had rented a pontoon boat just before 2:30 p.m. Sunday and had been on the lake for only about an hour when the ex-ballplayer got into the water to go swimming.

A short time later the friend noticed the victim had not resurfaced and called 911.

MCSO’s dive team searched for about two hours, but due to limited visibility and lighting conditions, scrubbed the operation until daylight.  

The dive team re-entered the water at about 8 a.m. Monday in what they classified as a recovery operation. Castillo’s body was discovered some 6 1/2 hours later.

The sheriff’s office said water in the area was about 25 feet deep and divers only had three-foot visibility.

Bartlett Lake is about 17 miles northeast of Carefree.