Seven Monroe County Emergency Services staffers saved the life of a one-and-a-half-year-old boy who nearly drowned at the Greystone subdivision clubhouse pool on Sunday evening.
According to a report by MCES Battalion Chief Clay Walton, Monroe County Emergency Services Engine 2, consisting of Jack Adams and Darius Patterson, responded to a 9-1-1 call at 141 Homestead Circle about a child drowning in the pool. Engine 2 arrived at 6:09 p.m. to find the child outside of the pool unresponsive, not breathing and without a pulse. The child’s family members, who had already begun cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the child themselves, reported the child had been in the water for about 10 minutes before CPR was started. Engine 2 staffers took over CPR efforts upon arrival.
At 6:16 p.m., a second MCES unit, Medic 12, consisting of Carson Rowland and Jessie Suggs, arrived at the scene followed by Walton at 6:21 p.m. Two other MCES volunteers, Casey Jones and Kristal Smith, also attended to the child. By 6:30 p.m., the child was breathing without assistance. According to Walton’s report: “All responders conducted themselves in a professional manner and provided quality pre-hospital care.”
As Medic 12 transported the child to Macon’s Navicent Health Children’s Hospital, two Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Chris Sherrill and Larry Sullivan, cleared heavy traffic for the ambulance, and the child arrived safely at the hospital without further injuries. Walton said a nasogastric (NG) intubation tube was later inserted into the child, removing a large amount of water from his gastrointestinal (GI) tract. He is now listed in stable condition.
Monroe County is thankful for all of its paramedics, EMTs and firefighters and proud of the job they do in helping keep our community members healthy and safe.
