11-Year-Old Airlifted After Near Drowning at Holmes Beach
An 11-year-old child was airlifted to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital after a near-drowning incident Saturday morning at Holmes Beach, according to West Manatee Fire Rescue.
Emergency crews were dispatched at approximately 7:38 a.m. on July 25 to the beach near the 3900 block of Gulf Drive, just south of Manatee Beach, following reports of a possible drowning. Due to the severity of the child’s condition, the call was upgraded to a cardiac and respiratory arrest, prompting an advanced life support response.
West Manatee Fire Rescue firefighters and emergency medical personnel immediately began advanced life support measures upon arrival. The child was transported to Birdie Tebbetts Field in Holmes Beach, where a medical helicopter transported the patient to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg. The child’s current condition has not been released.
The incident remains under investigation, and no additional information is being provided to protect the privacy of those involved.
West Manatee Fire Rescue is reminding residents and visitors that drowning emergencies can happen quickly and often without warning. Fire Marshal Rodney Kwiatkowski emphasized that constant, uninterrupted adult supervision around water is the most effective way to prevent drownings.
He also noted that early recognition of a drowning emergency, calling 911 immediately, bystander CPR and rapid advanced medical care provide the best chance of survival.
The department encourages families to follow essential water safety practices, including designating a dedicated Water Watcher whose only responsibility is supervising swimmers, never leaving children unattended near pools or natural bodies of water, learning CPR, securing residential pools with proper barriers and self-latching gates, and using U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets during boating and other water activities when appropriate.