EMT Teaches Toddler Daughter CPR, Films Her in Action To Inspire Others To Learn
CPR is a common shorthand for “cardiopulmonary resuscitation.” According to the Mayo Clinic, this specialized technique can literally save a life in the event of near-drowning emergencies, heart attacks and other traumatic situations.
Not everyone understands how to perform CPR, unfortunately, but those familiar with the proper steps could likely reassure you that it’s fairly easy to learn.
Saige Pietroforte might even use a phrase like “easy-peasy.” This 2-year-old toddler recently began capturing social media attention for her confident CPR skills.
Of course, Saige’s impressive aptitude might have at least something to do with her dad.
Chris Pietroforte owns Central Valley CPR in Tulare, California, Inside Edition reported. He’s also an instructor and Saige has accompanied him to several classes.
Pietroforte told Inside Edition that as a result, Saige has learned to perform the various maneuvers with notable proficiency. She also understands how to use a defibrillator.
“She actually goes to all my classes when I teach and she demonstrates how to do it. … So she’s in there and I tell people that if they can’t outdo her, they won’t pass, and that’s actually happened a couple times,” he said.
“I had someone drop out of an EMT class because she outdid him, and he was embarrassed and he left because he didn’t wanna be outdone by a 2-year-old.”
Fresno-based KSEE even aired an inspiring segment on this dynamic daddy-daughter duo. It shows Saige using her tiny hands to pump the chest of an infant-sized CPR dummy.
Clad in pink, perky pigtails bobbing away behind her, Saige leans in to administer some precisely-timed breaths.
“She learned most of this stuff around 18 months, and before that,” her father explained.
“She crawled up to the CPR mannequin, grabbed the face mask, and put it on the mannequin. She watches and she learns, and ever since then, she’s been just excelling in her skills.”
Inside Edition reported that prior to opening Central Valley CPR, Pietroforte worked as an EMT and firefighter for nearly two decades. Fresno-based KFSN-TV recently shared a video snippet Pietroforte captured of his daughter in action.
“My goal is to get as many people out there trained. … And the more people trained, the better it is out there for society,” Pietroforte told Inside Edition.
Thanks to movies and various forms of media, most people think they should administer CPR chest compressions to the beat of the popular song “Stayin’ Alive.” But Pietroforte clarifies that the tune you sing in your head should be between 100-120 beats per minute.
That means a young child could technically hum a jingle they learned early on. Inside Edition mentions “Baby Shark” as just one possible option.
Of course, even though little Saige understands what to do, she’ll need to continue learning when to apply her skills over time. But at the moment, her mere awareness has some serious power to persuade.
Saige told KSEE that she’d really like to help others with “big owies” when she’s an adult.
“I tell people all the time if a 2-year-old can learn, why can’t you? So there’s no excuse for that,” Pietroforte said.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
