SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- This week, there were two frightening incidents involving kids and water in San Diego County.
On Wednesday, the San Diego Police Department responded to a near-drowning in which a 2-year-old child was pulled from a pool in Point Loma. The toddler was taken to the hospital and is recovering, a City of San Diego official said.
On Monday, in Oceanside, a 1-year-old child was found not breathing and floating in a small pond. The child was hospitalized, but there was no immediate word on their condition.
With another hot weekend on the horizon for San Diego County, water safety is critical.
Oceanside resident Katrina Blanc runs a nonprofit called Kendall Bug Mission, which helps keep kids safe in the water.
Blanc said she's dedicated her nonprofit to helping families prevent accidental drownings after she lost her 2-year-old daughter Kendall to an accidental drowning on June 22, 2019.
"I asked my husband where she was," Blanc said. "We ran to the pool, pulled her out, my sister-in-law started CPR on her, and she was rushed to the hospital, but they weren't able to revive her."
Blanc has one clear message five years later: "It can happen to anyone."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of death among children age 1-4.
Rady Children’s Hospital shared that in 2023, there were 67 near-drowning incidents involving kids, with one reported death.
So far, in 2024, Rady Children’s Hospital has responded to 49 near-drowning incidents.
After losing her daughter, Blanc knew she had to do something, and that something was the Kendall Bug Mission -- teaching families life-saving tips in the water and adults how to perform CPR.
Blanc said she would teach kids "how to roll on their back to float to get to their air until you can get them, or learn how to float swim to get safely to the side."
Blanc said these swimming skills will be the difference in a drowning situation.
"Children are fast; they can get out of your sight," Blanc said.
Blanc also places heavy emphasis on supervision without distractions.
She recommended "layers of protection" around the house, like self-closing gates and alarm systems around home pools.
Blanc said if children outnumber parents, avoid the pool.
"There are other ways of having water fun. You could take out a splash pad, water balloons, or sprinklers," Blanc said.
