Basic emergency medical training is fairly standard at most police academies. The reality, however, is that many officers go years without using of it. After all, that’s what paramedics are for.
A young New York City police officer, though, has already put that training to frequent use. On December 7, Officer Freddy Cerpa of the 43rd Precinct was off duty in Long Island when neighbors approached him, desperation evident on their faces. A mother was holding her lifeless 1-year-old daughter, who wasn’t breathing. The parents had already called 9-1-1 but sought out Cerpa because they knew he was a cop.
Cerpa later described his response to a local ABC news affiliate WABC-TV. “I immediately reached out, grabbed the baby [and] began back slaps,” he 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 types of back slaps.”
It turned out the child, who had been suffering from a cold, was in fact choking on mucus. When Cerpa felt the child’s chest began to rise and fall, he knew she was breathing again. “And instantly it was just relief,” he shared. Paramedics soon arrived on scene, took over and transported the girl to a nearby hospital.
Cerpa’s skills, fortunately, were fresh; he’d graduated from the academy just seven months earlier. “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,” he shared. “It’s an amazing feeling to know that I helped save a little girl’s life right before Christmas.”
For many officers, this might have been the last time they used that particular training for a while. But for Cerpa, it was only the beginning.
A few weeks later, on January 16, he was on duty in the Bronx when a 9-1-1 call came in involving a choking 2-year-old boy. Officer Megan Ficken, a fellow rookie who was across the street from the call location, arrived first and quickly began rendering aid. Cerpa ran from three blocks away and found Ficken already administering the baby back slaps. “I kind of used my past experience from a month ago to try to kind of give her an idea of what I did last time,” Cerpa said.
Like the first child, the 2-yearold boy was choking on mucus. Thanks to the actions of the two young officers, he also recovered. “The first [rescue] was definitely surreal. But in my opinion, this one is all Officer Ficken, and she was there first. I was just glad I was able to assist her,” Cerpa said humbly.
