Hearts are broken.
Spirits are shattered.
A young neshoma has been lost.
It started out as a fun summer day, when 750 children from numerous Boro Park day camps drove out to Sahara Sam’s Water-Park. Down the slides, riding the waves, campers ran around happily under the sun. As the children were getting ready to leave, one camper was getting dressed and noticed a child at the bottom of the pool.
Horrified, shocked, lost. What happens next?
Within a few moments, Misaskim stepped in. A volunteer from Misaskim Baltimore was dispatched to the Hospital in Vorhees, NJ. He established contact with the staff at the water-park and simultaneously arranged for a minyan from the Cherry Hill community to join the victim’s bedside and say Shema Yisroel for him.
While all this was happening, the 749 other campers weren’t allowed to leave the premises, pending investigation. A Misaskim truck from Lakewood was dispatched, loaded with water, danishes and snacks. In addition, R’ Yossi and R’ Mendy Carlebach, chaplains for various NJ police departments, were sent by Misaskim to serve as a liaison between the investigators and the children – to allow them to be able to leave.
Meanwhile, in Boro Park, Misaskim went to notify the parents and siblings, informing them of this great tragedy. Chai Lifeline Crisis Intervention Team was called in to help them deal with the shock. The Philadelphia Volunteers worked to get the body released from the medical examiner ensuring the proper kavod hames. Yet the police investigators would only agree, on the condition that the parents come down to the hospital. Misaskim Volunteers made the trip with the parents, 2 hours to Philadelphia and 2 hours back- in the wee hours of the morning.
Back in Boro Park, a group of Misaskim volunteers went down to the shivah house. The family’s existing air conditioners weren’t working well enough to be able to cool down the house when so many visitors were expected. New air conditioners, donated by Plug-ins from Boro Park, were installed, Community Board 12 was contacted by Misaskim to remove all the garbage from the front yard and surrounding houses while the kitchen got stocked with basic food, drinks and paper goods. Boxes of toys were delivered to the house to entertain the young siblings of the victim, while Misaskim arranged for members from the Belze Kehillah in Tom’s River to stay shmirah overnight.
At the moment, Misaskim is setting up sound systems and water stations for the levaya that is expected to draw the masses.
While appreciative of the great job of Misaskim, the real question is how did this happen. I haven’t been to this park, but I have visited the Great Wolf Lodge, and what was most shocking to me was the lack of supervision but the lifeguards. Lifeguards were watching more than one pool at once. They weren’t focused and they weren’t responsible. Water parks are accidents waiting to happen. It should be a requirement of Yeshivas to have trained lifeguards on staff when they go to these places. Additionally, there should be policies and procedures for teachers and counselors to follow.… Read more »
These camps often don’t have enough staff in ratio to the campers. This, in addition to the water park not scheduling enough male lifeguards, which they may not even have the ability to properly watch everyone.
Add a lifeguard fee to the camp cost (and only use it for lifeguards). Waterparks have shareholders and insurance. They don’t care about lives (which is kind of obvious if you visit one).
Why are we putting childrens lives in danger by going to waterparks in the 3 weeks???!!!??? Haven’t we learned our lesson already???
Mi K’amcha Yisroel!!!
When I was in camp we would have a “Buddy Check” regularly when in the pool
My heart is breaking for this family ..
I wonder if any of the parents knew that there would be so many kids at this water park at one time.
Park who let’s camps in must have more lifeguards per children and medical training team on the site… camps need to make a mandatory every few minutes count their heads and let only ones who knows how to swim inside the pool but who knows what exactly happened there, maybe not this boy but others be more safe with more strict rules.
My deep condolences to the family.