Gilroy

Off-duty Gilroy firefighters revive young girl after near drowning in Chico

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A team of off-duty Gilroy firefighters recently found themselves in the right place at the right time.

Capt. Daniel Lozano, engineer Carlos Hernandez and firefighter/paramedic Marcus Ortega – on assignment in Northern California to battle the Park Fire – saved a young girl from a near drowning, according to the Gilroy Fire Department.

"On our off day while driving through Chico looking to grab a meal, firefighter Ortega spotted what he believed to be somebody being pulled out of a pool at a local motel," Lozano said in a video posted on the Gilroy Fire Department's Facebook page.

The crew quickly turned their engine around, rushed to the pool and immediately started to work on reviving the girl, Lozano said.

"After performing a couple rounds of CPR and giving her some respirations with the bag valve mask, the patient was able to begin breathing on her own again," Lozano said in the video.

The girl was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive, firefighters said.

"Their bravery and quick thinking made the difference between life and death for this young girl," the Gilroy Fire Department said in its video.

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