911 Dispatcher Saves Choking Baby Son’s Life Over Phone

Recently, 911 dispatcher Chris Scott received an upsetting phone call: his wife needed help to save their baby son's life.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on February 18 2010

Image: iStockphoto

Chris Scott is used to staying calm in crisis situations. As a 911 dispatcher, it’s his job to talk people through emergencies, and to help them stay safe until rescue vehicles can reach them. But last week, the Olympia, Washington man received a call that was difficult for even a seasoned professional like himself to handle.

The call was from his wife, Janna. She hadn’t called her husband to chat. She had a real emergency on her hands: the couple’s six-month-old son, Jacob, had choked on something. He wasn’t breathing.

Although she recognized her husband’s voice on the other end of the line, there was no time for casual conversation. Janna needed Chris’ help to resuscitate their son, and fast.

Luckily, Chris didn’t panic: he calmly talked his wife through the procedure to clear Jacob’s airways, never becoming panicked or overemotional. Before long, Janna had gotten their child breathing again.

Chris’ supervisor, Tammy Clark, was listening in on the rescue call, and was impressed by Chris’ skill. Afterwards, she commended him for saving the child’s life. Only then did he tell her, “That was my son.”

“I always dreaded getting a call like that,” Chris told King5 News. “I didn’t know how I’d handle it.

“I guess I handled it pretty good.”

Filed under: General Interest, Heroes, Weird,

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