STERLING HEIGHTS (WWJ) - It was an "extraordinary" life-saving team effort by first responders and family members of a young child who was moments away from drowning in a Macomb County pool last week.
The scary incident prompted the Sterling Heights Police Department to remind residents of how quickly a pool party can turn dangerous -- and why knowing CPR can mean the difference between life and death.
Police said adults and children were having fun and enjoying a swimming pool in the backyard of their Sterling Heights home on July 9 when a man looked over and noticed his 2-year-old son "lifeless" beneath the water.
According to officers, the father immediately jumped into the pool and pulled out the young boy. Both parents immediately started Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR. The mother performed chest compressions while the father gave mouth-to-mouth.
According to body cam footage of the incident, a policeman identified by the department as Officer Sears arrived at the home around 3:38 p.m. and rushed to the backyard where the young boy was spitting up water and gasping for air.
*Warning: This video may be disturbing to some viewers.*
"Officer Sears picked the young boy up, flipping him over to give back blows to help clear his airway," the department said in a post to social media. "Officer Sears then gave the boy back to the father who met the Sterling Heights Fire Department out front."
Fire crews continued medical care and rushed the 2-year-old to the hospital.
The child survived the ordeal, police said, and has returned to "his happy self" at home with his family. The department credited the incredible rescue as an an "extraordinary team effort and everyone involved should be commended."
The incident prompted authorities to remind residents to remain aware of their surrounding and learn how to administer CPR.
"Please use this as a reminder of water safety and to learn C.P.R.!" The department added. "This accident occurred and went unnoticed by people within the pool, mere feet away from the child. Stay vigilant and enroll in a C.P.R. class to help save a life!"
To find a class near you, visit the American Red Cross for additional details and a list of approved classes.
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