Quick-Thinking Bystander Rescues Little Boy Swept Downstream in California

A person who saw a child in extreme danger took immediate action in Santa Ana, California, on Sunday afternoon.

When officials with the Orange County Fire Authority got a call about the incident, they learned the boy had been swept nearly half a mile down the Santa Ana Riverbed, NBC Los Angeles reported.

It happened when the child ventured too close to the water’s edge. After seeing what occurred, his father got into the water to pull him out, but could not reach him.

It was not long before a bystander saw the child being swept away. That person quickly jumped into the water and rescued him.

“A Swift Water Rescue response was launched, but fortunately everyone made it out. The boy was assessed and treated by our firefighter paramedics and escorted to the hospital in stable condition,” the Orange County Fire Authority said in a social media post, along with an image of the water:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service advises people who might fall into fast-moving water not to stand up, but lie on your back with your feet pointing downstream to help avoid colliding with rocks or any obstructions.

Per the United States Swim School Association, it is essential that children know how to swim because the skill could save their life:

Formal swim lessons between ages 1 and 4 can help reduce the risk of drowning by 88% according to a study conducted in 2015. Drowning is the number one cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 1 to 4 and a leading cause for young people up to 14 years of age. A young child can drown in less than 2 inches of water.

Meanwhile, the Orange County Fire Authority also warned that although there was a break from the rain, there may still be water flowing in such areas throughout the county.

“We strongly recommend everyone stay clear. It doesn’t take a lot of water to wash people downriver where there are many dangerous hazards,” the post reads.