8-Year Old Staten Island Boy Drowns in New York Pool
An 8-year old Staten Island boy, Tony Li, drowned in a Super 8 Motel swimming pool Monday night in Plattsburgh, New York. The child was swimming in the pool with his older sister, who also didn't know how to swim. Tony somehow found his way from the shallow, 3-foot end to the deeper, 6-foot end of the pool. When he began to flounder, his older sister tried to help but couldn't save him. The boy was pulled from the water and CPR administered but he was unable to be revived.
The news reports have not made clear if a lifeguard was on duty or what signs, if any, were posted warning of the dangers and that there was no lifeguard on duty. In New York City, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene mandates strict supervision at pool facilities, both for physical safety and water quality. Outside of New York City, a lifeguard is not required to be present. The New York State Attorney General's office and the New York State Department of Health have published a disclaimer for hotel operators titled "Use of Our Swimming Facilities." The disclaimer notifies hotel guests that the pool is not supervised by a lifeguard, instead, they have established a series of safeguards. The best recommendation in the disclaimer is that there is no substitute for adequate supervision. The disclaimer suggests that a minimum of two adults, 18 years of age or older, be present whenever the pool is in use and that children under 16 years of age be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The hotel guest is required to acknowledge the information contained in the disclaimer before being allowed to use the pool.
Please make sure that our children are properly supervised whenever they are in the pool or the ocean. The Centers for Disease Control recommends (pdf) that children, even toddlers and young children, learn to swim. In fact, the New York City Parks Department provides free swimming lessons at local Staten Island pools. Drowning is the leading cause of all deaths for children 1 to 4 years old. In nearly 9 out of 10 child drowning-related deaths, a parent or guardian claimed to be supervising the child. If you are watching your child, don't be distracted by talking with friends, playing cards or other games or even talking on the phone. It only takes 20 seconds for a child to drown. Please give them your undivided attention when swimming by a pool or at the beach. Our children rely on us to protect them.
