A Scots mum has been hailed a hero after she saved a toddler from drowning in a pond in Glasgow. Victoria Crane was celebrating her 27th birthday at Victoria Park with her own two children and a friend, when an elderly man spotted a two-year-old girl lying face down in the pond on Tuesday.
The mum-of-two, who knows first aid, raced over to the water and put the youngster in the recovery position. As Victoria began to rub the child's back she quickly started to bring up some fluid, but was still unresponsive. As the tot's family were located, Victoria performed CPR on the child before ambulance crews arrived and stepped in.
Victoria told the Record: "It was a really traumatic experience. I didn't sleep all, I'm still shaken up by it. I just kept thinking, what if I hadn't been there, what if that man hadn't spotted her in the water."
The mum added: "She must have been playing near the pond and fallen in. I know basic first aid from work so when the man started shouting I ran over and realised the girl was unresponsive.
"After she brought up the fluid I put her over my shoulder and started looking for the family, who were sitting at least 700 yards away, near toilets. They came running over and the baby was just limp and her eyes were rolling as she slipped in and out of consciousness."
Victoria's friend called an ambulance before she stripped off her soaking wet clothes and wrapped the mother's jacket around her. The carer, from Milngavie, continued to check the child's breathing, which she says started to become "shallow" after around 20 minutes.
Victoria said: "Around five minutes before the ambulance arrived I couldn't feel her breathe anymore. I couldn't see her chest rising, so I started performing CPR. I pinched her nose and covered her mouth and gave her two breaths and 30 chest compressions with the heel of my hand.
"Then after a couple of rounds of that she started to make noise, like a groaning - and that's when the ambulance arrived with the oxygen. The whole time I was trying to support the girl's mum, she was really panicked."
The youngster received oxygen in the park for around 10 minutes before being taken to the ambulance. It was at that point Victoria heard the child let out an almighty cry.
"Her cry was the most relieving sound. I knew she was ok," said Victoria. "Then the ambulance crew came up to speak to me. They told me she was going to be okay and said I'd saved her life. That was an amazing feeling. The area of the park we were in wasn't busy, it was like I was in the right place at the right time."
Following the incident, Victoria wants to urge others to learn basic first aid skills.
She said: "I really do feel like she wouldn't have pulled through if I hadn't been there. I've done basic first aid training but I never ever thought I would have to use it this this. It's a life skill that everyone should have.
"Just having that basic set of skills like putting them in the recovery position, checking their airways and just staying calm in that kind of situation is really important. First aid courses really aren't expensive and I want people to hear this story and understand they could also save somebody's life with these skills."
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "The quick-thinking and bravery of Victoria is truly commendable. Her actions also demonstrate that having CPR awareness can make a big difference in helping to save lives.”
CPR courses are available here: Learn CPR as an adult - Save a Life for Scotland
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