2019 Report to the Community

South County

It is a quiet and quick death—one in which the person isn’t thrashing, screaming or yelling. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, 10 people die every day from unintentional drownings. f these numbers, two are children at least 14 years or younger. In 2019, 10-year-old Girl Scout Kaitlyn O’Shea was recognized by Girl Scouts of the USA for performing a live-saving act that ensured her cousin wouldn’t become part of the statistic. On a hot summer day, Kaitlyn and her cousin, who was three years old at the time of the event, happened to be playing in a residential pool. Although parents and caregivers were present, the cousin removed her flotation device without approval. She then lost her footing and immediately went under. Kaitlyn saw what happened and without hesitation, took action, pulling her cousin from the water and calling for help. The cousin remained conscious throughout the ordeal and ultimately did not require resuscitation. Because of her bravery and quick-thinking, Kaitlyn was awarded the organization’s Medal of Honor, an award reserved for Girl Scouts who performed heroic acts beyond the degree of maturity and training expected at their age. “I knew I needed to get to her and make sure she had oxygen, so I grabbed her,” Kaitlyn said. “An important lesson from this is that kids who can’t touch the bottom of the pool always need to have a floatie on.”

9 2019 Report to the Community