Police officer revives 4-year-old swimmer

Quick action from a Costa Mesa police officer saved the life of a 4-year-old girl who nearly drowned in the family pool Monday evening, according to city officials.

After a frantic 911 call from the mother, who reported her daughter wasn’t breathing, Officer Matt Olin arrived at the home in the 300 block of Robinhood Lane around 6:30 p.m. and found the girl inside, where the family had laid her on the floor, according to an account from the Police Department.

Her skin had turned gray.

Police said the girl had been swimming in the family pool and was able to pull off the flotation vest she was wearing. When she dipped under the water, the girl’s sister screamed for help, and the family pulled the 4-year-old out and called 911.

As soon as Olin arrived, he started CPR and kept it up for more than a minute before his partner and other emergency personnel started arriving.

Paramedics continued to help the girl breathe and took her to Hoag Hospital, where doctors were able to stabilize her.

The Costa Mesa Fire Department praised Olin in a statement.

“The responding police officers’ initial actions clearly started the chain of events that led to saving the child’s life,” said Battalion Chief Tim Vasin.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck