A 7-year-old boy was rushed by medics to the hospital after nearly drowning at Martha Lake east of Lynnwood around 5 p.m. Monday.

The boy was visiting the lake with his family as part of a group outing. He was under water in the crowded swim area when a bystander came to his aid. The boy was unconscious when bystanders got him to the dock and started CPR. He had a pulse and was breathing when firefighters arrived. The boy was in critical condition when he was transported by a South County Fire medic unit to Providence Hospital in Everett.

South County Fire offers these tips to help keep kids safe around water:

– Watch kids without distraction at all times when they are in or around water. Keep young children and inexperienced swimmers within arm’s reach of an adult. Make sure older children swim with a partner every time.

– Choose a Water Watcher. A Water Watcher is a responsible adult who agrees to watch the kids in or near water without distraction and wear a Water Watcher card (available for download at www.safekids.org/other-resource/water-watcher-card). After a certain amount of time (such as 15-minutes), the Water Watcher card is passed to another adult, who is responsible for the active supervision.

– Wear a well-fitted life jacket. Weak swimmers and children who cannot swim should wear US Coast Guard-approved life jackets when they are in or near water. Water-wings, pool noodles and other floatation toys are not considered safety devices. Several parks in Snohomish County, including Martha Lake and Lake Ballinger, have life jackets available for free use during park visits.

– Learn CPR and basic water rescue skills. South County Fire offers two free online classes that include CPR training: ACT First Aid & CPR and Child Safety & CPR. Learn more and register online at www.southsnofire.org/classes.

South County Fire provides fire and emergency medical services to 270,000 residents of Brier, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, and unincorporated southwest Snohomish County.