Child in critical condition after near-drowning in a Broward swimming pool, fire officials say

A 4-year-old boy is in critical condition after a near-drowning on Saturday evening in Plantation.

According to Plantation Fire and Plantation Police, the child was found in a pool located in the 4600 block of West Broward Boulevard.

Units commenced CPR in progress, and transported the child in critical condition to the hospital.

Fire officials note that this is the third incident in their jurisdiction and the fifth overall in South Florida within the last month. Here's a list of the other recent incidents:

• On July 5, a 4-year-old child drowned in a lake in Plantation

• On July 9, a 2-year-old child was found dead in another lake in Plantation

• On July 12, North Lauderdale Fire Rescue saved another 2-year-old in a pool. He is still in the hospital.

Plantation Police said on Sunday that detectives are working to figure out what led up to the incident.

CBS News Miami spoke to a man who witnessed the near-drowning in Plantation, but didn't want his face shown. The man says he was a guest at a pool party at a rental house on West Broward Boulevard on Saturday when the boy had to be taken out of the water.

"Little girl called us, and she informed us a child was drowning, so we went over and helped and started performing CPR," the man said. "I think, for one, all of us have to be way more mindful coming to parties like this, to make sure we're on top of watching the kids."

Camila Julien with Ocaquatics Swim School said swim lessons are a must for small children.

"Drowning is preventable, especially through formal swim lessons, she said. "We have a renewed commitment to water safety."

The state of Florida offers free swim lesson vouchers, but you still have to apply, and the legislature found that only about 29% of applicants were approved last year. 

"Cost should never stop a family from learning how to swim. That's why there are so many nonprofits, scholarship initiatives," Julien said.

The man who witnessed Saturday's incident says he has a small child of his own and that swim lessons can cost $ 300 a week. He says that if drowning prevention is so important, swim lessons should not be available only to those who can afford them. 

"I don't know if we need to make this a part of PE class in school. It's a lot of ways we can incorporate this into our kids' lives," the man said.