Henderson, Nev. – An 18-month-old girl is recovering today after a Henderson Police officer performed CPR on her after she was pulled from her family’s backyard pool Sunday.

Just minutes after the family called 9-1-1 Sunday about 12:30 p.m. pleading for help, Officer Erich Tschirgi arrived at the home in the 900 block of Buffalo River, near Magic Way and Boulder Highway. He rushed in to find the grandmother attempting cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the girl. He quickly took over and instructed the grandmother to give emergency breathing as he did chest compressions.

Due to Officer Tschirgi and the grandmother starting CPR, the girl started to move a little and made some noise. Henderson Fire paramedics arrived in just minutes and took over emergency treatment of the girl. She was crying and moving around by the time paramedics transported her to St. Rose Hospital – Siena Campus. The girl is still in the hospital but the prognosis is said to be good.

“There is no doubt that Officer Tschirgi’s quick response and actions helped save the life of this young girl,” Chief James White said. “I am very proud of the great work that our officers do every day.”

The family had opened the sliding glass door Sunday and closed the screen door. The girl apparently was able to open the screen door and went into the backyard without anyone seeing her. The adults noticed she was not around and started looking for her. She was then found in the pool, which did not have a fence around it.

As the weather starts to heat up and people are getting their pools ready for the summer, Henderson Police are determined to make sure that parents know about the dangers a pool or Jacuzzi can pose to a child. A drowning can occur in less than a minute.

Parents are urged to not only supervise children around pools but to also install gates around pools with self-closing doors and alarms. Even the most attentive parents can lose track of toddlers for a moment. The fence around a pool and child-proof latches on the gates will help prevent additional tragedies.

“A tragedy can occur in minutes that can devastate a family forever,” Chief White said. “We must always be aware of our children when they are in the water to prevent any more tragedies.”

Learn the ABCDs of pool safety: Adult supervision, Barriers, Classes and Devices.

• Never leave a child unattended in a pool or spa
• Teach children basic water safety
• Keep children away from pool drains and other openings to avoid entrapment
• If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first

In Henderson any new pool must have fencing around it. Any pool installed prior to 2006 is not required by city code to have fencing around it. The following tips are recommended:

• Install a four-foot or taller fence around the pool and spa; use self-closing and self-latching gates
• Install door alarms on your sliding glass door and back doors
• Install pool and gate alarms to alert you when children go near the water

In case the worst happens, be prepared.

• Learn how to swim and teach your children how to swim
• Learn to perform CPR on children and adults and update those skills regularly
• Understand the basics of life-saving so that you can assist in a pool emergency

Make sure there is the proper equipment around your pool.

• Children should use U.S. Coast Guard approved floatation devices around open bodies of water
• Pools should also have rescue tools such as lifesaving rings and a Sheppard’s hook
• Floaties or inflatable toys are not designed to be used as a PFD, life-jacket or substitute for adult supervision