California fire department honors boy, 4, who saved 2-year-old brother from drowning in backyard pool

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A California fire department has honored a 4-year-old boy who saved his younger brother from drowning in a pool.

The pint-sized hero Mason Ochoa acted quickly when he saw his 2-year-old brother Nicholas fall into the backyard pool in Placentia two weeks ago, CBS 2 Los Angeles reports. Mason rushed outside, grabbed his brother’s arm and screamed for help as he kept Nicholas’ head above water.

Mason Ochoa, 4, was made honorary firefighter/paramedic for saving his 2-year-old brother from drowning.   (Placentia Fire Department)

“Today we were honored to present Mason with the Placentia Home Town Hero Award and make him a honorary Firefighter/Paramedic,” the Placentia Fire Department said Friday.

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“Thanks to the quick action of Mason, his brother made a quick recovery, and is doing well!”

Mason Ochoa, 4, was with his mother Stephanie Ochoa when he was presented with the Placentia Home Town Hero Award for saving his brother after the 2-year-old fell into a pool. (Placentia Fire Department)

Firefighters had given Mason a firefighter uniform to wear for the presentation, held at the Placentia Fire Station.

It was a terrifying incident for the family.

"My wife told me right now that my son fell in the pool and he wasn’t breathing, that he’s crying right now, but that is face is purple and he’s -- she can’t talk right now I’m on my way to them," the children’s father, Jose Ochoa, told the 911 dispatcher, NBC 4 Los Angeles reported.

There’s a fence around the pool but it was taken down for an open house.

“He’s my hero,” Mason’s grandfather Raul Velez said.