In the wake of a near tragedy, and with the summer season ramping up, the popular Splash in the ‘Boro water park is emphasizing water safety for guests, and families throughout the area.
A six-year old boy was rescued by Splash lifeguards Saturday, June 1, after slipping into a pool too deep for him to stand. The boy survived the near drowning, after being resuscitated and flown to a Savannah hospital.
The incident, according to park administrators, is a sobering reminder of the importance of taking the proper precautions around water, especially when children are near.
 “We definitely want to promote water safety and people being cautious here at Splash in the ‘Boro, and around water anywhere,” said Steve Brown, Aquatics Manager for Statesboro-Bulloch Parks and Recreation, and Manager of Splash in the ‘Boro. “Drowning can occur anywhere, and it’s a leading cause of accidental deaths for children ages one through five. You just have to stay on top of those kids. You can’t be too safe when it comes to being around the water.”
Park officials encourage families to do as much as they can to help prevent future disasters.
“We want to remind everybody that taking swimming lessons can be very beneficial – they get children comfortable with the water,” Brown said. “And supervision is something that you just can’t have enough of. We want to encourage everybody to maintain vigilant supervision.”
Brown said a high level of awareness by parents is an important ingredient for safe trips to Splash in the ‘Boro.
The park features 35 certified lifeguards at any given time, but with a couple thousand guests trolling the grounds, not every person can be seen at all times. For that reason, the park requires visitors that are fewer than 12 years old to be supervised by an adult — someone16 years old or older.
“Our lifeguards, even though we have a lot of them, can’t see everything. They aren’t here to supervise kids. They’re here to enforce rules, that prevent problems, and be able to respond to emergencies,” Brown said. “We ask parents to stay close to their kids. If our lifeguards see small children by themselves, we will try to locate their guardians and make sure they have a life jacket.”
At Splash, rules are posted on boards throughout the park, and life jackets are provided free of charge to anyone who needs them; both are measures to help ensure visitor safety.
The park hires only lifeguards with proper certification, and updates the crew’s training yearly, Brown said.
“Our lifeguards go in and make saves often,” he said. “The nature of our business is: sometimes kids come in who aren’t strong swimmers and get in water they’re not familiar with, and we have to go in. Our lifeguards prevent a lot of things from happening.”
Splash in the ‘Boro averages approximately 140,000 to 150,000 visitors during its summer seasons, but thousands more take to the water in rivers, lakes, pools throughout the region.
Brown said it is important for families to take precautions no matter their environment.
“You just can’t have enough eyes on kids in the water,” he said. “Sometimes people just don’t see the danger of water that is over their heads. We encourage parents to maintain vigilance when it comes to supervising their children in water. That helps everyone become a lot safer.”

Jeff Harrison may be reached at (912) 489-9454.