Michelle Archer rescued a girl from drowning, Cambridge, Vermont, December 17, 2023. The girl, 8, was playing on an iced-over pond about 20 feet from a bank when she broke through the thin ice and fell into the frigid water. Archer, 32, state trooper, was patrolling nearby when she was alerted of the incident and responded. Seeing open water and broken ice near the bank, Archer, fully clothed and holding a rescue bag, waded and swam out to the girl, who was unconscious, floating on her back in water 8 feet deep. Archer grasped the girl’s jacket and, holding her above the water, towed her toward the bank. Once they reached shallow water, Archer grasped the girl under her arms, dragged her onto the bank, and laid her on her back. Archer, concerned that the girl was still unconscious, performed a chest compression and the girl made audible noises. Another trooper responded as Archer exited the pond with the girl, and carried the girl to an ambulance. She was taken to the hospital, where she was treated for hypothermia and near-drowning. The girl regained consciousness at the hospital and was released after three days. She recovered. Archer was cold and wet following the rescue, but did not require treatment.
2024-0000011-10483External Articles
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