EMS said bystanders pulled the six-year-old girl out of the water and brought her to shore. She was initially unresponsive but quickly came to and was able to speak with paramedics when they arrived.
Witness Julie Munch said a woman found the little girl.
“She Carried her out and she was screaming for help. A bunch of people ran over. I saw her carry her out and she wasn’t moving. And then they put her on the ground and they were yelling if anyone knew CPR,” Munch said. “She managed to cough up some water and she started moving.”
“A Woman came over and got her in the recovery position. My husband called 911 and they came within a couple of minutes and she was OK when they came to pick her up.”
The young girl was taken to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in serious, but stable condition.
“She didn’t have a life jacket on.”
“I know that there are some security guards but there is no life guard. It is a problem,” said Munch. “If a child can’t swim and they are ingesting water, then you’re still going to end up with the same problem.”
EMS wants to remind the public about the following safety precautions, if you are spending time at a lake or waterpark this summer;
- It is recommended young children / inexperienced swimmers always wear life jackets in and the around water.
- Do not use other floatation devices (rafts, tubes) without a lifejacket unless you are able to swim.
- Pay especially close attention to children. Even in shallow water, loss of footing or other distractions may occur causing an unprotected fall into the water.
- A small child can disappear under the water in seconds and can drown in only a few centimetres of water – enough to cover the mouth and nose, therefore continual supervision is recommend for young children in and around the water.
- Small children are also the most vulnerable group for near-drownings.
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