3-year-old boy dies after being found unresponsive in Central Islip pool

A 3-year-old boy died after two family members pulled him from a swimming pool on Bark Avenue in Central Islip around 8:15 p.m., Suffolk police said. He was taken by ambulance to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore and pronounced dead. News 12 Long Island said the emergency happened during a pool party Friday night, and FOX 5 New York identified the child as a Brentwood boy.

For Suffolk parents, the immediate question is whether a pool setup gives a child enough time to be seen before trouble starts. The Suffolk County Health Department’s pool safety flyer says a pool must be enclosed by a fence or other barrier at least four feet high and accessible only through self-closing, self-latching gates or doors. A separate county pool barrier document says construction fencing should surround an in-ground pool or spa excavation until the permanent barrier is finished, with fencing not less than 4 feet high and the top of the barrier at least 48 inches above grade.

If you are checking a pool in Islip, the town’s Department of Planning and Development Division of Building at One Manitton Court keeps barrier and alarm requirements on file. The office lists Administration at 631-224-5464, Permits at 631-224-5466, Plans Examiner at 631-224-5467, Plumbing Inspectors at 631-595-3756, Records and Inspections at 631-224-5470 and Zoning at 631-224-5438.

Families looking to add swim instruction or CPR practice have local options to consider before the next backyard gathering. Goldfish Swim School Serving Brentwood, NY says its Commack location offers children’s lessons for ages 4 months to 12 years old. The YMCA of Long Island says it provides CPR and lifeguard certification classes and that membership is not required, while the American Red Cross lists CPR classes on Long Island.

The death of a child in a residential pool is a reminder that a few moments of distraction can be enough. In Central Islip, Brentwood and the surrounding Islip communities, the checklist is plain: a four-foot barrier, a working latch, any alarm required by town code, swim lessons and CPR training before the first party of the season.