Child airlifted to hospital after falling in pool

PALMDALE – A four-year-old boy had to be airlifted to the hospital Thursday afternoon after falling into a backyard swimming pool, but he was expected to survive.

The near drowning happened around 11:38 a.m., Thursday in the 37000 block of Rockie Lane in Palmdale, authorities said.

The child’s grandmother told authorities that the child wandered into the backyard and then fell into an in-ground swimming pool, according to firefighter David Parigan of Fire Station 131 in Palmdale.

Parigan said the boy was submerged in about 4 feet of water for approximately one minute before his grandmother pulled him from the pool and contacted authorities.

“[When] we arrived on scene, the patient was found lying in a supine [face up] position on the table outside…” Parigan said. “He did vomit once upon our arrival.”

Rescue workers tended to the boy on scene, and then he was airlifted to a children’s hospital in Los Angeles for further treatment.

“The good thing is the patient’s condition is definitely improving,” Parigan said.

Parigan also warned residents about the importance of taking precautionary measures to prevent accidents in and around pools.

“If you don’t have a fence around your pool, you definitely should,” he said. “Regardless if children are trained in the pool, it’s always a safe precautionary measure, especially with other kids that come over.”

“Make sure you have adult supervision at all times, because all it takes is one second to turn away and the kid could go into the pool… [which is] exactly what happened today,” Parigan continued.

–