Off-duty rescuers getting R&R at a Broward resort rushed to save a drowning boy
Broderick Espinoza, a Broward Sheriff’s Office paramedic, was relaxing poolside late last month at the Plunge Beach Resort in Lauderdale-by-the Sea when he realized his lifesaving skills were needed off the clock.
A 5-year-old boy was submerged underwater the afternoon of May 24, and when he was pulled from the pool, he had no pulse, according to the sheriff’s office.
Espinoza immediately began CPR, and was soon helped by Lt. Jesus Fuentes, an off-duty Miami-Dade Fire Rescue paramedic hanging out at the resort, along with two nurses, said Carey Codd, a BSO spokesman.
Soon, the boy spit up water and his pulse returned, Codd said.
“Time matters in these cases. Drowning prevention advocates say drowning can happen in as little as 20 seconds, and within minutes a victim can suffer brain damage,” Codd said in a statement.
The sheriff’s office is hoping the situation will serve as a reminder to heed water safety protocols as summer gets underway.
- An adult should always closely supervise young children in and near water.
- If you are an adult watching children in the water, avoid distractions.
- Keep all small children within arm’s reach.
- Install child-proof fencing, locks, alarms or sensors to keep children from entering pool areas.
- Teach your children how to swim or float on their backs.
- Have a telephone nearby always.
- Learn CPR
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