Christmas became a tragedy for one Utah family. An eight year old boy was chasing his dog across a frozen pond when he fell through the ice. The boy’s friend began screaming for help. Fortunately, a Washington County Sheriff’s deputy and trained rescue diver Sgt. Aaron Thompson was nearby and quickly responded.
First, he tried punching his way through the ice, but that wasn’t enough. Then, he began to jump up and down on the ice, using his body weight to crack it. Once underneath the water, Thompson began a frantic search. After approximately a half hour, he was able to find the boy, who was then taken by helicopter to a hospital in Salt Lake.
“I knew that time was of the essence. I had a very short window to get that child out of the water.” – Sgt. Thompson
It is believed that the child was submerged for approximately 37 minutes. Deputies are hopeful and they have good reason to be. Young children have been revived from drowning after having spent up to 2 hours submerged underwater. Colder water can help. The quicker a person is recovered, the greater their chance of survival and the less likely they’ll suffer brain damage or other serious medical conditions.
“As the ice got thicker, I couldn’t break it with my arms and my fists anymore, so I had to jump up on top of the ice, putting my weight on it, and then pound on it to get it to break.” -Sgt. Thompson
Speaking on his own heroism, Sgt. Thompson quickly deflected, and noted that it was a team effort requiring many rescuers working in tandem. “It’s not me. It’s us. That’s the real story here. I was just the one that went out into the water.”
The condition of the boy has not yet been released. Sgt. Thompson suffered conditions related to hypothermia as well as cuts and bruises. He briefly received treatment at the hospital before being released.
How Can People Survive Prolonged Drownings?
Many people struggle to hold their breath for a minute and it may seem odd that people can survive after having been underwater for an hour or more. So how are people able to survive in such extreme circumstances? There’s no definitive answer but there are a variety of theories to ponder.
When a person drowns, their brains and hearts are deprived of oxygen. This can cause severe damage in even a short time. However, the body is able to enter a sort of “diving mode” where the heart rate is slowed down and oxygen is sent to the most vital areas, such as the brain. Researchers have found that this function actually seems to work better in children.
Others researchers have suggested that the cold temperatures cause the brain to cool quickly. Theoretically, this may help to preserve the brain. Further, as carbon dioxide builds up in blood vessels, it can cause them to expand. This may allow more blood (and thus oxygen) to enter the brain.
Regardless of the reason, a young boy is alive and has a chance of surviving due to the heroic efforts and dogged determination of Sgt. Thompson and other rescue personnel.
