Locals frustrated after D.I. drowning

DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. (WALA) - Dauphin Island Police are still not releasing any details about Saturday's drowning victim.

Donald and Rebecca Buzbee have learned the man who drowned in the water near their beach home on Dauphin Island Saturday was 37-years-old with a small child at home in China.

Rebecca Buzbee said she had just walked outside when she witnessed the tragedy.

"I saw him fall off his raft, and he was screaming for help. I called my husband to come out and help," she said.

Her husband is a critical care nurse, and she's a former nurse herself.

"I said go call 911 immediately and swam out there myself, and a gentleman next door, and a young lady. We pulled him in onshore, and immediately started CPR. He was without pulse or breathing at that time," Donald Buzbee said.

Within minutes the man was back on shore. Buzbee said his chances for survival seemed good.

"He probably had a survival rate of maybe one in two, or maybe one out of three chance of survival. Best case senario we had him out of the water in a very quick amount of time. CPR initiated, two man CPR," Buzbee said.

But the Buzbees and about eight others who worked to save the man encountered something they didn't expect.

"We need advanced equipment here within three to five minutes, certainly within ten minutes we need advance cardiac life support. Were you surprised that you didn't have it. Very surprised. We did 45 minutes of CPR," he said. "Our hope, our goal is to bring about public awareness that there is this long time period to get help, and to bring about change."

Rebecca Buzbee said she saw the man on the raft that morning, but the raft was anchored into the sand. She thinks he may have fallen asleep, and when he woke up he realized the raft had come loose and he had drifted about 200 feet out.

Even though the water was calm, and the man wasn't that far out, he drowned because he couldn't swim.

The Buzbees said there's nothing that could be done about that. However, they do believe a town that depends on tourism should be better equipped to protect those who may get into trouble on its beaches.

Mayor Jeff Collier said the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department has lost some members in recent years. The city has hired first responders to try to make up for the shortage, but the mayor said the first responders are not as qualified as paramedics. Collier said he is looking into Saturday's drowning.

The Buzbees say they hope to meet with the mayor and other city leaders to see what can be done to improve emergency response on the island.