ELMONT, Long Island (WABC) — An off-duty NYPD officer jumped into action to save a choking baby’s life after his neighbor ran to him frantically for help.
Surveillance video captured the desperate measures to save the 1-year-old girl who was lifeless in her mother’s arms on Dec. 7.
NYPD officer Freddy Cerpa believes he was in the right place at the right time.
“I immediately reached out, grabbed the baby, began back slaps,” Cerpa said. “Once I did the back slaps, I turned around to check for any obstructions in her throat. Didn’t find any obstructions. So I did some more back types of back slaps.”
The child, who had been suffering with a cold, was choking on mucous and unable to breathe.
Her mom and dad tried calling 911, but they knew Cerpa was trained and that they could get to him faster when every second counted.
“At that point, I felt her chest go up and down, meaning that she’s starting to breathe again. And instantly it was just relief,” Cerpa said.
Cerpa saved the little girl’s life before paramedics arrived and took her to the hospital.
He just graduated from the police academy about seven months ago.
“They teach us how to use an AED machine as well as the back slaps and the Heimlich maneuver, I never thought I’d have to use it,” Cerpa said. “It’s an amazing feeling to know that I helped save a little girl’s life right before Christmas.”
Cerpa says it is always best to call 911 in the event of an emergency, but parents can also empower themselves with the tools to help their children until paramedics arrived.
“Choking is one of the leading causes of death in infants and children,” said Sean McNerney with the American Red Cross.
The American Red Cross, which offers training resources, suggests doing a combination of chest compressions and back blows if your child is choking and is younger than 1.
McNerney says if it is an older child, the guidance is slightly different.
“You do the same technique if they were an adult with abdominal thrusts and back blows… you just kneel down to their level,” McNerney said.
Cerpa said he is just grateful that he was there to answer the call.
“Our mission is to preserve life and I feel like that’s the most important part of being a police officer,” he said. “And I’m just glad that I was able to do that.”
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