Serious near-drowning response involving a 2-year-old child at the Bay Lake Tower pool on June 15. Also, the June 7 Polynesian Resort call initially listed as “Near Drowning” was later clarified as a drone-related call.
Editor’s Note: This article includes details from emergency dispatch records involving a child and a near-drowning response. Some readers may find the information sensitive. Discretion is advised.
A recent Orange County Sheriff’s Office dispatch record shows a serious near-drowning response at the Bay Lake Tower pool, while a separate Disney-area call earlier this month demonstrates why public dispatch labels should be treated as initial dispatch information rather than confirmed incident details.
According to an OCSO Calls for Service Summary, deputies and rescue units responded on June 15, 2026, to a “Near Drowning” call at the Bay Lake Tower pool, listed in the record as 4660 N World Drive. The call was received at approximately 1:10 p.m., and the first unit arrived on scene shortly after 1:16 p.m.
The dispatch narrative indicates that the 2 year-old had been removed from the water and that bystanders or responders were providing emergency aid. Early notes state that chest compressions were being performed. Dispatch notes also state that an “oxygen mask” was placed on the child and later that equipment was being used to help the child breathe. That description may be consistent with a bag-valve-mask, or BVM, which is commonly used to assist breathing during emergency care. The record later notes that the child was awake, then crying, then had periods where their eyes were closing again before responders arrived.
Within minutes, dispatch notes said paramedics were seen on scene. A later update stated that the child was awake and breathing. The log also notes that fire personnel were setting up a landing zone across the street in an open field.
WDW Active Crime confirmed through flight logs that an Orlando Health Life Flight helicopter landed in the field across from Disney’s Contemporary Resort. The call narrative later states that the child was going to Arnold Palmer Hospital, which is consistent with the Life Flight transport to Arnold Palmer Hospital’s landing zone.
Polynesian “Near Drowning” Was a Drone
The Bay Lake Tower record is separate from another Disney-area dispatch entry from June 7, 2026, at the Polynesian Resort. That call was also initially categorized as “Near Drowning,” but the later narrative makes clear it was not actually a drowning incident.
In the Polynesian Resort record, the first narrative entry references a possible drowning subject. However, less than two minutes later, dispatch notes state “NEG DROWN.” A follow-up entry says dispatch was advised that it was “a drone in the air not a drown vic.” Additional notes describe a drone near the beach area with Disney security, and a later update states that a drone was found.
That second call is important context because public dispatch data often reflects how a call was initially entered, not necessarily what the incident turned out to be after clarification. A call listed as “Near Drowning” in the CAD system may represent a true water-related medical emergency, as reflected in the Bay Lake Tower record, or it may be corrected through later narrative notes, as occurred in the Polynesian Resort drone call.
Why This Matters
For readers following Disney-area public safety activity, the distinction matters. The “Call Type” field can show what responders were initially sent to investigate, but the narrative and final records provide the context needed to avoid misreporting an incident.
In this case, OCSO records show one serious near-drowning response at the Bay Lake Tower pool on June 15, and one earlier Polynesian Resort call on June 7 that was initially dispatched under a near-drowning label but was later clarified as a drone-related call.
Disclaimer: This article is based on Orange County Sheriff’s Office dispatch records, public calls-for-service data, and additional information confirmed by WDW Active Crime. CAD call types reflect how an incident was initially entered or dispatched and may change as responders receive updated information.
The child’s current condition has not been released unless specifically stated in this article. Nothing in this report should be read as assigning fault or responsibility to any person, resort, employee, guest, or agency.
