Three years ago, my son became a statistic.
On June 22, 2006, my 5-year-old, Connor, went with family friends to the Crofton Country Club pool. After taking off his life vest for a trip to the bathroom, Connor was found floating in the pool. My son was rushed by ambulance to the Anne Arundel County Medical Center, but it was too late.
On duty were four lifeguards. Only one, a 16-year-old with just three weeks of experience, was watching the pool. Underneath an empty lifeguard chair, unnoticed, was my son, floating face down for three minutes in the waters of the shallow end of the pool.
The 911 tapes played for the civil trial for my son's death spoke of even more neglect. The automated external defibrillator (AED), which could have saved Connor's life, was not deployed. Staff had been instructed by the pool management company not to use it for fear of a lawsuit. The AED was there for show, not for protection.
Connor's death was not unusual in that a lifeguard was present. Almost one of five drownings happen this way. Too often, a lifeguard is poorly trained, inexperienced, overburdened or easily distracted.
Drowning can happen in only one inch of water. After two minutes, a child will lose consciousness; after four minutes, irreversible brain damage occurs.
Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children 14 and under, and in 18 states it is the main cause of death. Almost two-thirds of those drowning are under the age of four. Even more at risk are minority children: African-Americans are three times as likely to drown as whites due to a lack of swimming lessons.
An unsettling truth came to light at the trial in Connor's death: One reason so many children die with lifeguards present is that many pools are being managed not by the best companies but by the lowest bidders. Expenses are minimized and profits maximized by keeping training costs low.
The Connor Bill, named for my son, was introduced by Del. James King of Gambrills. It calls for all public pools of 2,500 square feet or more to have at least two lifeguards on duty at all times. Sen. Katherine Klausmier of Baltimore County is introducing legislation mandating AEDs at all public pools. Passing and enacting both these bills into law will prevent many tragedies.
