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HUNTINGTON
Suit Papers Swim In
Drowning Case
Family of Greenlawn victim sues YMCA
for compensatory and punitive damages
By Tricia Arend / tarend@longislandernews.com
The father of a 17-year
old Huntington YMCA lifeguard who drowned earlier this year has
filed a suit against the association and four of its employees.
In the suit filed in State Supreme Court on Sept. 11, Ray Dawson
alleges the group’s failure to respond to the emergency situation
in the pool in a timely and proper manner resulted in the death
of his son Marc.
Glen Cove-based YMCA of Long Island, the overseer of the Huntington
YMCA, Kaitlyn Wulfken, of Greenlawn, Adam Dworkin, of Northport,
Georgene Howell, of Huntington, and Donna Porter, of Huntington,
are named as the defendants in the suit.
Wulfken and Dworkin, two lifeguards on duty at the time of Dawson’s
accident, were allegedly “reckless, careless and negligent
in the life guarding and supervision” of the pool, the complaint
states.
Howell, an aquatics coordinator, and Porter, a lifeguard, were both
on the premises when the accident occurred.
The defendants were “reckless, careless and negligent in the
ownership, operation, management, maintenance, control, lifeguarding
and supervision of the subject premises” and failed to “take
reasonable precautions to protect” persons using the swimming
pool, the complaint alleges.
Wulfken, Howell and Porter did not return calls for comment as of
press time and Dworkin could not be reached.
Michael Famiglietti, president and chief executive of the YMCA of
Long Island, also did not return calls for comment as of press time.
The complaint further states that the defendants recklessly and
negligently permitted and approved “a dangerous and life threatening
activity” and failed to “administer proper, timely and
adequate life saving techniques and skills.”
“Here’s a situation where you have a reckless disregard
by the YMCA for the life, healthy and safety of Marc and the other
members,” said Ray Dawson’s attorney Michael Perrotta,
of Huntington.
Perrotta added that an investigation has revealed that the lifeguards
on duty are “ill-trained, ill-experienced and inadequately
prepared” to respond to an emergency situation of the nature
of Marc’s Feb. 18 accident.
At the time of his accident police said Dawson, a Harborfields High
School student, was known to practice holding his breath underwater
on his breaks. When lifeguards at the pool looked in to check up
on him, Dawson waved back to them and pointed to his watch to indicate
he was still timing himself.
When they looked back just moments later, Dawson was unconscious.
They pulled him out of the pool and began CPR. Dawson had been submerged
for at least two minutes holding his breath, police said back in
February.
Dawson was transported to Huntington Hospital and was later transferred
to Long Island Jewish Medical Center, where he died on Feb. 25.
He was unconscious during that time frame.
Perrotta said the family chose to file the suit requesting compensatory
and punitive damages because they are convinced the YMCA let their
son down on many levels.
“Their gross negligence caused the death of their son,”
Perotta said. “They should be held accountable.”
Calls placed to the Dawson family were not returned as of press
time.
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