Grateful a Mom Shared the Story of Her Child's 2nd Chance Due to 1st Aid!

Likely everyone has seen or heard of a young child 'slipping under the water'...playing in the water then struggling or otherwise taking water in the next (sometimes Not Struggling, as in this case. ) Thankfully this child was revived..How cool is that and such a gift!

 

Thankfully the people Knew CPR and were ready to use it (the friend of the mom, both nurses..but the Mom was panicking...realizing her son was underwater when she'd helped another child get ready to swim.) A Mom named Maribeth shared how one of her 5 year old twin boys, Adam  was saved by a her nurse friend after he slipped under the water  (though someone said he had gotten out of the pool which had a sloped floor. Gotta watch out for all elements..) Unfortunately we were not able to find or revive our teen son Kaelan Paton of CT when he passed in the water, trying to save his friend (which did happen by a rope rescuer moments later.)

 

There's much more to consider and his Memorial service is on youtube in short segments with photos of his joyful life prior to the emergency where he met his end on June 16, 2009. There is a fundraiser which will be used to promote water safety and to donate half to a local scholarship. Thanks for sharing this information and donating as you can to this or other good causes to create safer community networks and keep agreements. Two youth under 14 succumb to drowning daily, mostly in home pools and at young ages, so please take note!

 

Best to have the kids sit Away from the Edge of the Pool, say a good 10-20 feet (as is possible) with another person watching them... One never knows when a toy, pet or other distraction may 'lure' a child to the water's edge or in the pool..or road etc.  A child was playing with a hula hoop the other day about 30 feet from the road but it hit a rock and took off down the hill. going into a quiet road. Thankfully the child knew enough Not to run after it.

 

I mentioned to a lovely actress who played Belle that 35 years ago we had a transformational moment in the parking lot at the theater...When I said hello to a lighting guy I'd met the day before and he didn't say hello back, I thought he was being rude. Then I noticed he was choking. I was able to give him the Heimlich maneuver even though I'd learned it in 7th grade, about 10 years prior... 

Here's to everyone learning their First Aid and Asking for Help. The fellow told me he would have been 'too embarrassed' to ask for help from about 30 people warming up with vocal exercises about 30 feet from where he was sitting in his car... At least he was sitting in his car facing out with the door open rather than in the driver's seat. Likely there's a tip for all of us to 'eat so we can be seen' when there's any chance of choking (in his case it was stringy roast beef that wouldn't cut easily with his teeth...on a grinder roll.)

 

Well the other important advocacy I want to mention is to find ways to have 'trained or otherwise police detail' to help with transportation concerns such as people attending the theater (in Sharon CT for instance there is a sharp corner coming into Sharon from the NY side...and cars are sometimes pulling in from the far lane can could be broadsided..

.Really it would be Ideal if most people could take the 'scenic route' and go down to Paleys (where there is a triangle with Sharon Valley Road on the right) one could turn around in..) or have a person Before the Corner (and a couple of very good 'men working' type signs (Theater Traffic Go Slow, 20 mph please for an hour before show and a half hour after.)
 
 Those likely would need to be volunteer positions. But maybe there could be stipends or other benefits offered (Free theater tix, etc) More attention to traffic concerns could be paid by all event planners (of course they are looking for One More Important Thing to Do!)

 

But this is about keeping all spectators as safe as possible coming and going from the show, so they can come back all season and no one get sued in the process (not for endangering or not protecting people sufficiently with clear warnings... and help along life's busy road ways.) Once 'in the parking lot' more caution and clear traffic flow directors are needed. It's important to be able to have a few cars pull far enough in so there is not a likelihood of people backing up ...out into the street, capiche?

Then a point person should be At the head of the driveway and maybe one across the street to help drivers know where to do quickly since most are caught off guard with having to wait to pull into a driveway if the line is backed up to the street, which it can be in the course of a few minutes. Same with help knowing which side of the street to park on and when to cross safely..(not risking Going In Front of Oncoming Traffic which may not have enough space to stop fully.) Okay thanks for thinking this through..it will make for a nice, less dramatic life yet a longer one also!