Two residents of Nocatee were hailed as heroes Tuesday, April 20, for their quick action in saving the life of a three-year-old boy who nearly drowned.
Sheriff Robert Hardwick, St. Johns County Fire Rescue Chief Jeff Prevatt and County Commissioner Jeremiah Blocker presented certificates of commendation and commemorative coins to Karen Brown and Luke Dorow.
First responders who played key roles in rescuing Calvin Harry were also recognized.
On March 27, Calvin’s family was at a neighbor’s home with other adults and children. At one point, 14-year-old Luke noticed that Calvin was under the water at the deep end of the pool and quickly pulled him out.
“I saw he wasn’t breathing at all and his lips were pale, so I called for help,” Luke said.
Brown rushed over and began CPR.
“My instincts kicked in right away,” she said. “I’ve taken CPR lessons for the past 15 years. I’ve always worked in a school or child-care setting, and it’s just one of those things you do every year. You don’t think you’re ever going to need to use it until you do.”
Meanwhile, the homeowner called 911. Niko Branco took the call, which came in at 5:27 p.m. He got Fire Rescue dispatcher Katie Jervey on the phone, and she followed through until Battalion Chief Brian Mitzel arrived on the scene with Engine 18 and Rescue 17.
Engineer Katrina Silvia and firefighter/paramedic Troy Beshere were among the first on the scene and were recognized Tuesday. They found Calvin lying on towels on the kitchen floor, pale but crying.
Senior Deputy Loren Schneider arrived shortly thereafter and subsequently wrote up the report.
Rescue personnel transported Calvin and his mother to Wolfson Children’s Emergency Room at Baptist South.
Tuesday, Calvin was as healthy and energetic as any three-year-old. His parents, Mandy and Dean Harry thanked everyone who helped save the boy’s life, particularly Brown and Luke.
“I truly believe that God put all of the people in the right place at the right time to give us the best possible outcome,” Mandy Harry said.
She added that she would continue to tell their story to help others avoid a similar accident.
“I want everyone to learn from our mistakes,” she said.
Jessica Winberry, prevention coordinator with THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health at Wolfson’s Children’s Hospital, said drowning was the top cause of injury-related death in children ages one to four.
For children younger than that, drownings most often happen in the bathtub. For the one-to-four age range, it’s the pool.
One problem is that drowning is silent.
“People have the misconception that they’re going to hear something or see something when a drowning is occurring, and that does not happen,” said Winberry.
Thus, the best response is active supervision. Winberry said this means that a parent is within arm’s reach of the child and that they’ve got their eyes constantly on the child.
She said families should have barriers around their pools to keep children out. When visiting someone else’s pool, active supervision is critical.
And when everyone’s done swimming, everything must come out of the pool. This ensures toddlers can’t get underneath a raft or float where no one can see them.
Winberry recommended learning CPR and enrolling children in age-appropriate swim lessons, as determined by a child’s pediatrician. Also, should a child come up missing, the first places to check are the pool, hot tub or spa in case immediate action is needed.
