A Saint John, N.B., police officer helped a newborn baby on Friday, in what her superiors are calling an example of making a difference while on a shift.
It began with police responding to a 911 call from a home in East Saint John at 1 a.m. AT.
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When they arrived on the scene, officers found a mother who had just given birth and a newborn baby who was not breathing or making any sounds.
Police say that was when Acting Sergeant Sylvia Summerville quickly took charge of the scene.
She evaluated the situation and asked someone in the home to bring her a shoelace.
Summerville tied off the umbilical cord, laid the baby on her forearm face down, cupped the face with her right hand and gave several thrusts to the back.
She then massaged the lips and chest of the child, stimulating it and causing the baby to begin breathing.
Officials with Ambulance NB arrived and assessed the baby and mother. Both were taken to the Saint John Regional Hospital.
“By utilizing her training, Acting Sergeant Summerville is to be congratulated for her actions,” said Steph Drolet, chief of the Saint John Police Force in a press release.