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TODAY GulfWeekly is backing a campaign for the community to adopt an innovative 'Water Watcher' scheme after a schoolgirl was pulled unconscious from a swimming pool at a popular expat club.
Introducing the safety measure to Bahrain is the brainchild of former nurse Pam Kamal, who runs first aid courses in the kingdom.
The child was with a party of teachers welcoming new colleagues and their families to St Christopher's School when she was spotted floating on the surface of the pool at the Dilmun Club in Saar.
Fortunately a teacher trained in resuscitation techniques was able to revive the girl who was taken by ambulance to hospital. She has fully recovered and was able to join her classmates for the start of the new school term last week.
A St Christopher's School spokesman said: "All present at the event were shocked at how easily such an accident can happen - even when a pool is surrounded by adults. It brings home the need for constant vigilance at all swimming pools - including those at the various social clubs around Bahrain."
Those words were echoed by Mrs Kamal, 60, who runs First Aid Box, a first aid supplies company which recently staged a series of free advice sessions and tips on drowning prevention alongside child cardiopulmonary resuscitation demonstrations - commonly referred to as CPR - at her home in Layla Garden, Saar.
"It can be difficult to supervise a family or party of children - they are quick and you can't be everywhere. Children drown rapidly and silently, in a matter of seconds, they do not usually cry out for help," she said.
"Adults who are present when a child drowns are often distracted in some way; it could simply be the case that they were chatting with other adults or answering a telephone call. But the solution is just as simple ... and that is to have a designated 'Water Watcher'."
It's a system that can be shared by adults on a 10-minute rota-system and Mrs Kamal has even designed a bright tag for the designated 'Water Watcher' to wear so they can be clearly indentified by the children playing in the pool.
As the Water Watcher, the adult on duty has to pledge to constantly watch the children in and near the water and wait to socialise until officially relieved by the next Water Watcher.
A similar scheme has been introduced in the US and is backed by the American Academy of Paediatrics; National Drowning Prevention Alliance.
"Parents, of course, should be responsible for their own children but designating a 'Water Watcher' will ensure added supervision for those times when we are all too often distracted," Mrs Kamal added.
The Dilmun Club is behind the campaign too. Andrew Storey, a committee member and father-of-five, said: "We are delighted the young girl has recovered. We fully support the 'Water Watcher' initiative and will advise our members to back it all the way."
How quickly a child can be seen to be in trouble and pulled from the pool and how well someone can do CPR are factors which will largely determine whether a drowning child lives or dies.
Drowning victims need CPR immediately, before the paramedics arrive, and should not be driven in a mad panic to hospital.
The incident at the Dilmun Club happened on Wednesday, September 1, when St Christopher's School held an evening event to welcome new teachers and their families to Bahrain.
A statement from the school issued to GulfWeekly said: "One of the new teachers' children suffered an accident when, despite adult vigilance at the pool, she was discovered unconscious on the surface.
"Thanks to the quick action of St Christopher's teachers, the child was pulled from the water and given immediate CPR which brought her around.
"She was then supported by her parents and other teachers trained in first aid, until an ambulance arrived and took her to hospital.
"The child was well cared for by the hospital staff and kept overnight for monitoring before being released the next afternoon. The child is now back to good health.
"St Christopher's is very grateful to the staff involved for their quick thinking and the effective and calm use of their first aid skills and also to the International Hospital for their high level of care."
CPR involves doing chest compressions and rescue breathing. "Everybody from an early age should know enough first aid to be able to attempt to save a life," said Mrs Kamal who has regularly held courses for parents and housemaids wanting to learn the technique at numerous schools and institutions including St Christopher's and the Dilmun Club.
In a bid to promote the importance of first aid skills and to encourage more people in the community to learn first aid, Mrs Kamal, a trained nurse and midwife who once taught Gulf Air cabin crew safety and survival techniques, is currently converting a squash court into a training facility at her compound.
She moved to the kingdom in 1976, married Bahraini Isa and the couple have two children, Rayana, 24, and Ebrahim, 23.
Not all youngsters are as fortunate as the St Christopher's pupil who survived thanks to the invaluable skills of trained first-aiders. Earlier this year Government officials and police urged parents to be more vigilant after two children died. A two-year-old drowned during a family picnic at a private pool in Busaiteen after she fell into the water while her family were just a few feet away. Her death came only six days after a 10-year-old drowned in the sea, while swimming with his brothers.
The 'Water Watcher' scheme can save lives ... if you would like to know more about it contact Mrs Kamal on 36732223.
DRAB - The resuscitation reference chart
Danger - Check for danger.
Response - Gently shake the shoulders and ask loudly 'are you OK?' Shout for help but don't leave the casualty yet.
Airway - Open the airway by gently titling back the head and lifting the chin.
Breathing - Look, listen and feel for normal breathing. If breathing is absent or the victim is not breathing normally perform CPR for approximately one minute before going for help. Call 999/112 for emergency services.
CPR method:
Give 5 initial rescue breaths.
Give 30 chest compressions.
Give 2 breaths.
Give 30 chest compressions.
Continue 30 compressions and two breaths until normal breathing starts or medical help arrives.
Familiarise your children with water. Teach them how to swim, however keep in mind that this does not ensure their safety. Flotation devices are not substitutes for adult supervision.
Supervise your children in and around water and stay within arms reach. An occasional glance by an adult or supervision by older siblings or friends is not sufficient.
When there are several adults present and children are swimming, use a 'Water Watcher' tag to designate an adult as the 'Water Watcher' to help prevent gaps in supervision.
Ensure that you always have a telephone with you when at the pool. Know or have the street address written by the poolside in case you need to call the emergency services.
Learn infant/child cardio-pulmonary-resuscitation or refresh your skills annually and always display a chart in the pool area.
