First responders warn of water safety as summer nears

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)– In just one week, the borderland has had multiple near-drowning incidents.

With both the holiday weekend and warmer weather ahead, first responders are now telling the public to stay vigilant.

According to the Texas department of Family and Protective Services, 20 kids have drowned in Texas this year.

One of those on the list is right here in the borderland.

A week ago El Paso fire officials confirmed the death of a 3-year-old child after he drowned at Camp Cohen Water Park.

ABC-7 spoke with El Paso Fire Department spokesman, Enrique Dueñas, who said these kinds of calls are more common in the summer.

Dueñas said timing is everything in these situations and it is important to call 911 as soon as you see something is wrong.

He said its important to keep your children close to you in the water, make sure they are wearing a flotation device and be vigilant at all times.

"Couple of seconds can be fatal," he said. "Never leave the child unattended. If you have to do something else, get the child out of the water. And that way you can be safe because emergencies happen like these when nobody's expecting them."