They're often unseen, but their voices can be the lifeline in a moment of crisis. Placer County 911 dispatcher Valerie Bradley is being recognized as a hero after walking a frantic family through life-saving steps that helped save their 2-year-old daughter.

Bradley, who has been with Placer County for just over four years, was recently awarded a "Field Save" challenge coin for her role in the November 1 incident.

What began as a routine shift quickly escalated when Bradley answered a call from a panicked mother whose toddler was unconscious, not breathing. Bradley immediately recognized the urgency and relied on her training to stay calm and focused.

She guided the mother through CPR instructions, which the mother relayed to the father, performing chest compressions. Together, the three counted through multiple rounds of compressions until first responders arrived on scene.

Bradley says calls like this can be traumatic and are a reminder of the intense situations dispatchers face every day. She says the recognition has been meaningful and affirms her belief that she was meant to do this work.

"We're often heard but rarely seen, and I felt really, really seen in that moment," Bradley said. "It makes me feel like God put me here for a reason, and that I'm fulfilling my purpose by being at this job."

County officials say the little girl is alive and well today. Without Bradley's steady, clear instructions, they say the outcome could have been very different.