A 4-year-old girl almost drowned at the Sun Prairie Family Aquatic Center on Friday — the second time in the last week that lifeguards were needed for a water rescue there.
The first incident occurred July 6, Sun Prairie’s Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department said in a statement Saturday that provided information about both incidents.
Lifeguards were needed for both episodes, but Friday’s “required the lifeguard team to administer rescue breaths and chest compressions on a child who was nonresponsive,” according to a statement on the department’s Facebook page.
In both instances, the children survived and were taken to a hospital.
The pool will remain closed until Sunday to “allow our lifeguard team, most of whom are high school and college students, to take a much needed mental break to process the events that have occurred,” the department said in the statement.
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“Safety is our number one priority for the community and our team are grateful for the training and assistance provided by the paramedics at Sun Prairie Fire.”
Chad Shelton, the department’s programs coordinator, said he hopes the incidents will remind parents to be cautious with their young children around water.
“It’s everybody’s job,” he said. “It’s not just our lifeguards that are out there and our pool staff, but there’s definitely a responsibility on the parents as well.”