A birthday party at Theresa Vecchio's home in North Syracuse almost turned tragic Saturday after a 4-year-old boy was found unconscious at the bottom of a crowded swimming pool.

Vecchio said her instincts and training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation took over when her nephew pulled Devante Clarke of Syracuse out of the deep end of the pool - Clarke's face blue, his body unresponsive.

"My first instinct was panic," said Vecchio, 36. "But then my training just kicked in. My God, it's a lifesaver."

By the time an ambulance and state police responded to the 1:39 p.m. call to Vecchio's home on Davis Road South, Clarke was breathing. He was taken to University Hospital, where he was in good condition Saturday evening, a nursing supervisor said.

Vecchio, a senior administrative associate at Bristol-Myers Squibb's pharmaceuticals plant in DeWitt, said she learned CPR at a free course offered to employees.

"They told us when they trained us that, 'more than likely, you would perform CPR on somebody you knew,' " she said. "But I never thought that I would have to use it."

Clarke, who does not know how to swim, was at the bottom of the pool for up to two minutes before he was spotted, said state police Sgt. Nick Harmatiuk.

"There was a family birthday party and numerous children and adults were in and around the pool area," he said. "It's one of these reminders to folks: Little kids can disappear and do things people aren't aware of. My goodness, we almost had a catastrophe."

The incident happened during a day of oppressive heat and humidity, when many flocked to swimming pools for relief.

The high temperature was 82 degrees, but the relative humidity averaged 81 percent, making it feel more uncomfortable.