CHP Officers Save Choking Baby On 101 Freeway In Woodland Hills
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Two California Highway Patrol officers came to the rescue of a baby who was choking on the side of the 101 Freeway in Woodland Hills.
Dashcam video posted to the CHP's Instagram page Monday showed the two officers coming to the rescue of a baby who was choking on a cherry in a car on the shoulder of the 101 Freeway.
Officer Ramstead, a licensed paramedic, gave the baby back slaps to clear the infant's airway, CHP reported, while Officer Cato directed traffic.
"Officer Cato and I jumped out of the car, ran up as far as we could, got to the car and found the mother holding the baby in the backseat," Ramstead said.
"My job was to protect my partner. I knew he was going to be really focused on attending to the child and making sure whatever life-saving measures were taken," Cato said.
Ramstead wasn't hearing the baby breathing so he started the Heimlich Maneuver for infants.
"So just put him right on my arm, face down, and did five to six back blows and on the sixth back blow I struck him right between his shoulder blades, I heard a (cough). Oh, that was just pure relief. That was just excitement and relief because I knew I did it right," Ramstead said.
"I had every confidence in Casey. I've been partners with him for a couple of years and I've seen his knowledge base which is astounding," Cato said.
This wasn't the first time Ramstead has helped someone in distress, but the father of two says saving a baby is close to his heart. He felt the gratitude from the baby's mom when he handed him back to her. The officers waited with the family until LA City fire paramedics arrived to make sure the infant was OK.
"I'm blessed that I have a job where I could go out and affect people's lives every day and hopefully get to keep coming back and doing it more and more," Ramstead said.
