A family passed very close to the drama Sunday afternoon near Montpellier. One of the children of siblings, found inanimate in the pool, could be saved in extremis.
In a few minutes, family swimming turns into drama
The starting scene is most banal. It is hot this heat wave Sunday, and the Hérault is not spared. But this Cournonterral family near Montpellier has a swimming pool.
The two children aged 10 and 4 are therefore used to “refresh, parents nearby. This Sunday, the father is busy in the garden according to Midi Libre. But he suddenly notes that the youngest is at the bottom of the swimming pool. And especially that he no longer moves.
He then has the right reflexes: he throws himself into the water to get the child out of the water, warns the firefighters and then lavish the first aid gestures. A rapid course which, in this case, has a happy outcome. The child regains consciousness. He is taken care of in the process by the firefighters and the SMUR, who takes him to the Lapeyronie hospital in Montpellier to undergo control exams.
These gestures that avoid drowning
This story, which fortunately ends well today, reminds us that a swim is never trivial. And that the surveillance of an adult is essential at any time.
A previous article from True Medical already recalled the measures to be taken as soon as a swimming pool is nearby. Remember that a child can drown in less than 30 centimeters of water, including in a simple paddling pool.
Here are some common sense tips to strengthen security:
- Never leave a young child alone, even for a short time;
- Near the water, install toddlers in a secure space (park, deckchair);
- Find out about the possible presence of a nearby swimming pool, at a neighbor for example;
- Educate children from an early age at the dangers of water and impose clear rules for access to the basin;
- Make sure the floor around the pool is not slippery to avoid falls;
- Systematically remove floating toys after swimming so as not to attract children to water;
- If several adults are present, clearly designate a person responsible for surveillance;
- Brassards to young children, even if they do not go to water;
- During naps or calm moments, make sure that access to the pool is impossible;
- Always keep a pole, a buoy and a phone at hand in an emergency;
- Introduce children to swimming from the age of 5 or 6.
Accident: What to do in case of drowning?
However, drowning is fast, and silent. No one is therefore really sheltered from an accident. If drowning occurs anyway, it must be act immediately:
- Take the victim out of water without delay;
- If the person is aware: dry it, cover it, then consult a doctor;
- If it is unconscious, with weak breathing, pallor or cyanosis: place it first on the belly to help evacuate the water (with pressures on the back and the thorax); Then turn it over, practice a word of mouth, and if the heart does not beat, immediately start an external heart massage.
A rapid reaction can sometimes change the court of things. Recall that between June 1 and July 23, 2025, Public Health France has identified 702 drownings in France, including 193 deaths. An increase of 45 % in the number of deaths compared to 2024. Among them 27 children and adolescents.