Bretsky
06-18-2007, 09:23 PM
Lifeguard was told twice not to enter pool, police say
KAROLYN MAURER
Baraboo News Republic
A supervisor at the Wilderness Resort in Lake Delton twice told a lifeguard not to enter a pool to help what turned out to be a drowning child, according to a police report released Thursday.
Tyler Houtakker, 4, of Asbury, Iowa, drowned June 8 at around 8 p.m. in an indoor pool at the resort in Wisconsin Dells.
Lake Delton Police Chief Tom Dorner said he doesn't expect charges to be filed against the resort.
"We're not suspecting any foul play or anything. It was obviously an accident," Dorner said.
Joe Eck, a spokesman for the Wilderness Resort, said four lifeguards were on duty at the time.
Eck said the resort's lifeguards enter the water daily for saves or attempted saves. "It's a subjective call on the lifeguard's part, but we'd rather be proactive," he said.
However, one lifeguard on duty Friday who saw the boy face-down in the pool asked a nearby supervisor twice if she should enter the pool to retrieve the child. The supervisor told the lifeguard to have someone who was swimming nearby check on the child, according to the police report. The lifeguard supervisor told police that "guests get angry when lifeguards enter the pool for non-emergency situations." The supervisor told police he initially thought the child was playing, according to the report.
The child was unresponsive, so the manager told the lifeguard to have the patron bring the boy to the side of the pool, the police report said.
"We feel on our part our guards did the best they could with the situation," Eck said.
Lifeguards attempted to resuscitate the boy when he was pulled from the pool. Ambulance personnel arrived shortly after and took over efforts to revive him. The boy was taken to St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo where he was pronounced dead, Dorner said Monday.
Tony Hozeny, the director of communications for the state Department of Commerce, said his department is conducting a tag-team investigation into the drowning with the state Department of Health and Family Services.
Hozeny said his department is making sure the water park meets state safety regulations.
Stephanie Marquis, communications director for the state Department of Health and Family Services, said her department also continues to investigate the drowning. "Although the investigation is not complete, initial findings indicate that the number of lifeguards at the pool met or exceeded the necessary requirements," she said Thursday.
According to the National Safety Council, 3,000 people drown every year. Children 4 years old and younger are most likely to drown. Most drownings occur in a bathtub or when a child falls into a pool.
The boy's parents, Tammy and Brian Houtakker, who were at the park with their son last week, chose not to comment.
KAROLYN MAURER
Baraboo News Republic
A supervisor at the Wilderness Resort in Lake Delton twice told a lifeguard not to enter a pool to help what turned out to be a drowning child, according to a police report released Thursday.
Tyler Houtakker, 4, of Asbury, Iowa, drowned June 8 at around 8 p.m. in an indoor pool at the resort in Wisconsin Dells.
Lake Delton Police Chief Tom Dorner said he doesn't expect charges to be filed against the resort.
"We're not suspecting any foul play or anything. It was obviously an accident," Dorner said.
Joe Eck, a spokesman for the Wilderness Resort, said four lifeguards were on duty at the time.
Eck said the resort's lifeguards enter the water daily for saves or attempted saves. "It's a subjective call on the lifeguard's part, but we'd rather be proactive," he said.
However, one lifeguard on duty Friday who saw the boy face-down in the pool asked a nearby supervisor twice if she should enter the pool to retrieve the child. The supervisor told the lifeguard to have someone who was swimming nearby check on the child, according to the police report. The lifeguard supervisor told police that "guests get angry when lifeguards enter the pool for non-emergency situations." The supervisor told police he initially thought the child was playing, according to the report.
The child was unresponsive, so the manager told the lifeguard to have the patron bring the boy to the side of the pool, the police report said.
"We feel on our part our guards did the best they could with the situation," Eck said.
Lifeguards attempted to resuscitate the boy when he was pulled from the pool. Ambulance personnel arrived shortly after and took over efforts to revive him. The boy was taken to St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo where he was pronounced dead, Dorner said Monday.
Tony Hozeny, the director of communications for the state Department of Commerce, said his department is conducting a tag-team investigation into the drowning with the state Department of Health and Family Services.
Hozeny said his department is making sure the water park meets state safety regulations.
Stephanie Marquis, communications director for the state Department of Health and Family Services, said her department also continues to investigate the drowning. "Although the investigation is not complete, initial findings indicate that the number of lifeguards at the pool met or exceeded the necessary requirements," she said Thursday.
According to the National Safety Council, 3,000 people drown every year. Children 4 years old and younger are most likely to drown. Most drownings occur in a bathtub or when a child falls into a pool.
The boy's parents, Tammy and Brian Houtakker, who were at the park with their son last week, chose not to comment.