Texas Firefighters Save Tot Brought to Station

Aug. 10, 2011
SAN ANTONIO -- A West side family is crediting San Antonio firefighters and divine intervention for the survival of a toddler who nearly drowned in a backyard pool. Josiah Alvarez, 15 months, was pulled from the family's backyard pool in the 500 block of S. Spring Street Monday evening by his mother. "I just saw him floating upside down and my first instinct, of course, I jumped in and grabbed him," said Roberta Alvarez, who went looking for her son after several minutes went by without hearing a sound from the toddler.

SAN ANTONIO --

A West side family is crediting San Antonio firefighters and divine intervention for the survival of a toddler who nearly drowned in a backyard pool.

Josiah Alvarez, 15 months, was pulled from the family's backyard pool in the 500 block of S. Spring Street Monday evening by his mother.

"I just saw him floating upside down and my first instinct, of course, I jumped in and grabbed him," said Roberta Alvarez, who went looking for her son after several minutes went by without hearing a sound from the toddler.

Alvarez said she briefly tried to perform CPR but then called for help when she realized she didn't know what she was doing.

"She was running with him in her arms (and screaming), 'Mom, call 911!'" said Irene Salinas, Alvarez's mother and the baby's grandmother. However, instead of making the call, she said, she advised her daughter to run with the child to Fire Station 8, located just two blocks from their home.

Salinas said she thought waiting for an ambulance to arrive might take up too much precious time.

On the way to the fire station, however, Alvarez stumbled with the toddler in her arms. Neighbors who were playing basketball at a nearby court came to the rescue, running the rest of the way to the fire station and bringing help back to Alvarez.

Firefighters and paramedics were able to perform CPR on Josiah before transporting him to a hospital.

"The thought of him not being here, I wouldn't have been able to bear that," said Alvarez.

Instead of having to deal with that grim possibility, Alvarez was able to cuddle her son in her arms Tuesday morning.

She said after spending a night in the hospital for tests and observation, the toddler appears to be OK. Both she and Salinas said they consider his survival a miracle.

"I thank God he's OK," Salinas said. "And I want other grandparents and parents to know that it doesn't even take a second for a baby to drown or get hurt."

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