Broken Arrow Teen Saves 7 Year Old From Drowning

A 19-year-old Broken Arrow man is credited with saving the life of a 7-year-old Tulsa girl shortly after 5:30 p.m. Sunday following a swimming accident at the Hawthorn Beach area of Oologah Lake.

Da’Veion Birge  (Pronouncer:  DAY-VEEON Birge) is being called a hero but the part-Cherokee—who only discovered his native American heritage a few years ago and has lived in Oklahoma less than a year– said he just did what any good citizen would do.

“I appreciate the respect everyone is giving me but I feel that I was just there and honestly it was a blessing I was there. There’s no telling how else this situation could have gone.

“I was just like a regular citizen doing the right thing and saving her life,” he told OTEMS (Oologah-Talala Emergency Medical Services District) officials. “I just appreciate everyone. I am sure glad she is all right—that sure is a blessing.”

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and U.S. Army Corps of engineers said the girl was swimming with a sibling, went under, and did not resurface

Her sister called for help and family members and bystanders located the girl under water and took her to shore, where Birge administered CPR.

The 2014 graduate of Benson High School in Omaha said he had taken CPR training as a sophomore and junior but never completed certification.

He said when the girl was found, she had been under 3-1/2 feet of water for 4-5 minutes.

“First I forced her to open her mouth and put three strokes of my breath into her. I started pumping her chest. It took a minute and a half for her to come back, for her to open her eyes,” he said.

“Then her heart started beating real fast and she was delighted she could breathe again. When she finally opened her eyes, her heart started racing…when she looked at me, how she looked at me was unreal. When she finally came back it was like she was seeing a ghost,” he added.

He said that when she was brought from the water, her face was blue and her mouth was purple.

Incident commander Lt. Josh Copeland of the Northwest Rogers County Fire District, said firefighters arrived to find the girl conscious and continued treatment until OTEMS Paramedics took over patient care.

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Before she left the scene, she was able to name her favorite color—green– and was breathing on her own, Lt. Copeland said.

OTEMS Operations Director Kelly Deal said the girl was conscious, talking, and in fair condition as OTEMS continued treatment and transported her to St. Francis Children’s Hospital in Tulsa, where OHP marina enforcement Trooper Gena Gillis said she was admitted overnight for observation and expected to be released later today.

Deal noted that in pediatric near-drowning situations, the patient will require close observation for 48 to 72 hours for potential complications.

Gillis said in her report that a personal flotation device was not in use and Birge agreed that she was not wearing wither a PFD or floaties or any other kind of flotation aid.

Lt. Copeland said that, “Without the civilian CPR, we would be dealing with another drowning victim out of Oologah Lake, that’s for sure.”

Officials said two key lessons from the incident stand out: The victim was not wearing a life a life jacket and was not being supervised by an adult.

Deal, Fire Chief Mat Shockley, Oologah Lake Project Manager Bobby Parkey and OHP all praised the cooperative effort at the scene.

Besides Northwest, OTEMS and US Army Corps of Engineers, the Oologah Police Department and the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office were at the scene assisting.

Marine Enforcement Trooper Gillis was in charge of the investigation. She said it was unknown why the victim went under and did not resurface.

Parkey concluded, “Although this near tragedy has a happy ending, it brings to light the critical importance of wearing s life jacket when in or around water.

“When enjoying the lake this summer, please keep safety your top priority. Always wear a life jacket, provide adult supervision for your children and remember that alcohol and water do not mix.”