West Pierce: Bystander Saves Boy From Drowning

The man saw that the boy was underwater their apartment complex's pool and pulled him out of the water. He also performed CPR on the boy as crews arrived.
By Patch Staff | Email the author | June 21, 2011

A bystander likely saved an 11-year-old's life today, according to West Pierce Fire & Rescue.

The department reports that shortly before 3 p.m. today, crews responded to reports of a drowning at the Forrest Village Apartments, located at 8300 Phillips Road SW in Lakewood, about a mile outside of University Place.

Firefighters arrived at the apartment complex and found an 11-year-old boy conscious and breathing after being pulled from the pool by a bystander.

The man had been watching the boy and his friend play catch in the shallow end of the pool, when he noticed one of the boys underwater for a length of time. He told his friend to check on him, but the boy couldn’t dive that deep. He dropped everything and dove into the pool, only to find the 11-year-old unconscious and without a pulse.

He started CPR and the boy began to breathe as firefighters and police arrived on scene. Paramedics transported the boy to a local hospital for medical evaluation. Without the quick actions of this bystander, the outcome of this situation would have been very different, according to the fire department.

With today being the first day of summer, the fire department that serves both University Place and Lakewood wants to remind everyone to know their limits when it comes to the water.

Custom-fit life jackets are available for purchase at West Pierce Fire & Rescue for $12. Life jackets will also be sold at the City of Lakewood’s SummerFest event this Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. at Fort Steilacoom Park.