Glendale firefighters honor little girl for saving brother from drowning

GLENDALE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- It was an end-of-the-school-year celebration at Challenge Charter School and a very special moment for one student. The Glendale Fire Department honored 9-year-old Tenley for saving her brother from drowning last month. She pulled him from the pool and started CPR after he got dehydrated and passed out in the pool.

“On behalf of the Glendale Fire Department and all those chiefs back there in the white shirts, we want to honor you with our Little Hero award,” said Cpt. Kyle Borg, with Glendale Fire.

Glendale firefighter Matthew Bender was there for the event. He trained kids like Tenley through the Fire Pal Program, putting firefighters in the classroom to teach them about water safety. “I teach the kids never swim alone and if parents take their eyes off because they are scrolling on their phone, posting, they need to holler, ‘look at me,’” said Bender. “The kids have to have the parents watch them. You can’t take your eyes off of them for a second.”

Bender says it is important to put fences around the pool, teach kids how to swim and watch them around the water. He also recommends teaching kids how to perform CPR. Kids can get trained as early as nine years old.

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